Making The Most Of Your Holiday Job Search

With Thanksgiving and various winter holidays approaching, it may seem that the professional world is entering hibernation mode. It is a common belief that as the calendar year ends, hiring slows to an icy crawl as well. But just because the weather is getting cold, does that mean there is a hiring freeze as well?

There doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus on this myth, at least, according to the experts. CareerSideKick believes November and December are the two worst months to apply for jobs (though you should keep trying anyway!) as new hiring budgets come into play into the new year and fewer employees are on vacation in January.

TheBalanceCareers believes the opposite to be true. With less competition (often due to job seekers assuming companies aren’t hiring) and more holiday networking opportunities abound, the holidays are a superb time to find a new position. There may be hidden benefits as well, like potential holiday time off and extra money for the holidays themselves.

TopResume found many of the holiday hiring myths factual, but just as many to be fictional. Companies may be too busy to hire due to end-of-the-year commitments and deadlines and a lack of applicants. However, philosophically there is no reason to wait until spring to make a new hire, and there aren’t too many temporary hires that a permanent worker won’t be hired.

“After looking at all of the evidence, the jury cannot decide. On one hand, temporary hiring speeds up tremendously during the holidays — upwards of 100,000 temporary jobs are available at major corporations. On the other hand, there are fewer qualified candidates and less incentive for hiring managers to fill their open positions, so some may wait until the new year to resume their search for candidates.” -TopResume

Nevertheless, all the experts agree on one aspect: keep applying! There are still jobs out there, and as previously mentioned, fewer individuals apply at this time of year. If you’re determined to use the holiday season to your advantage, here are some of the most valuable tips:

Networking

It seems obvious, but networking is a year-round job in and of itself. But the holiday season actually offers plenty of seasonal options to make the process easier.

Have holiday parties coming up? Use those to your advantage! The holidays are one of the busiest seasons for social gatherings, and even just mentioning to your peers you’re looking for a job can start the process. Accept any invites you may get to maximize the number of contacts you can get in touch with. No matter what holidays you celebrate, generosity is a common theme.

This is also the perfect time of year to send holiday cards. Firsthand’s Jane Hurst had this to say:

“Everyone loves to receive handwritten notes—and they make strong and lasting impressions—so take the extra time to write notes to old friends you haven’t spoken with in a while, ex-colleagues, even relatives. You never know who might lead you to your next job interview.” -Hurst

Clean up your documents

Even if you believe your job search will slow down, there are ways to keep busy. The end of the year is the perfect time to tweak your important documents—no need to wait for spring cleaning.

Go over your resume and cover letters to make sure everything is up to date. Have you acquired any new skills or certifications but forgotten to add them thanks to the daily grind? This is the ideal time to add them to your resume. Make sure to tidy up any errors or misspellings as well, and do your best to keep the language action-oriented and show tangible results.

This is also a great time to reconnect with your references and make sure you have their information up to date (as well as their permission!).

“It’s both considerate and professional to ask to use someone as a reference—and important to let him or her know what you’ve been up to.” -The Muse’s Stacey Lastoe

Will you use the holidays to volunteer or find temporary work? Now is the time to add those experiences to your documents. Even if you aren’t actively looking and applying in November and December, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running in January and February.

Research and prepare contacts

The coming new year is always a time for introspection, and this applies to your career search as well. Take time to think about what experiences you’ve liked in your career journey and what you want in your next adventure. Take the time to brainstorm and come up with a plan.

The truth is many hiring managers will either be on vacation or busy with end-of-the-year tasks during the holiday season. That may make it hard to get in touch with the right people if you’re looking for your dream job. But there is plenty of work to be done that can get you in touch with the right people.

The Muse’s Stacey Lastoe believes this is a great time to get the ball rolling. Take the time to research the organizations you’d like to apply for and find the best people to get in touch with. Spend some time on LinkedIn and company websites to find the right people to connect with and start preparing your emails or direct messages.

Wrap up

The holidays are a great time to take some time to yourself and enjoy the company of friends and family while resetting your mental health, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be proactive in your job search. Many companies are still hiring, and with less competition around, you may get more opportunities thanks to your diligence. The holidays provide an ideal chance to prepare yourself for the next stage of your career, whether that’s an active search, finding a temporary opportunity, or simply setting yourself up for success in the spring.

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4 Keys To Constructing A Winning Cover Letter

Why is a well-written cover letter important? A good cover letter has the power to generate interest from the hiring manager or recruiter and make up for the areas where your resume may fall short. Whether or not it is required, it is a great tool to increase your shot a receiving an interview, especially if you do not meet all the qualifications. Conversely, however, a poorly constructed cover letter can derail any good traction your resume may have built.

It’s important to note that your cover letter should never be a copy, or even a reiteration, of your resume’s content. Many job seekers fall victim to going more in-depth on their work history because they are unsure what to include. Your cover letter does not need to be an extensive essay that appears as a sort of ‘last gasp’ at the job. If you choose that route, you will again find yourself repeating conversation points from your cover letter during a first-round interview. Instead, piece together a few brief paragraphs to highlight specific, relevant experience and showcase your knowledge of their industry’s latest trends and current standing. 

Get To The Point

Clearly state your interest in the position and organization in your first sentence. Share relevant achievements to grab the reader’s attention, whether it is through statistics backing success in a previous role or by pinpointing your education. Stay curious and humble as you quickly elaborate on your application. While a two-page resume is often justified, there is no such theory for your cover letter. You should be able to effectively convey your qualifications and passion for the role in a few brief paragraphs. Most hiring managers will not be keen to see you ramble on paper with an overly contextualized message. The more irrelevant details you provide, the more chaotic you will appear. Stay focused and close strong with a call to action for your reader.

Personalize It

Atop your cover letter, you can quickly separate yourself from the traditional job seeker by specifically addressing the hiring manager or recruiter by name. More often than not, the job poster’s name will either be attached to the job posting or easily accessible online. Search the organization’s LinkedIn company page and filter through their employees to find the listed hiring manager (HR Manager, Talent Acquisition Manager, etc.). Don’t be afraid to let LinkedIn notify them that you reviewed their profile. Not only will this research show your interest in the role, but it will prepare key conversation points as you learn more about your interviewer’s work history. If you are unsure of the right individual to address, proceed with the generic salutation.

Tie in your work history to the job description and your passions and core values to the organization. Pay close attention to the top requirements for the role and address them in the body of your letter. Reveal how your skill-set and prior experience make you suitable for the position and an integral part of their team. However, you need to be cautious that you are not simply making edits to a universal cover letter. Most hiring managers will quickly notice that your letter was not initially depicted for their company and job listing. 

*Bonus* If you know someone within the organization who would speak kindly of you, now is the time to name-drop. 

Showcase Your Excitement For The Role

You can quickly build rapport with the reader when you appear enthusiastic about the role, but conveying this enthusiasm through words on a page is not always easy. Reveal a long-term commitment to excellence by revealing goals you have for your position with the company and how you plan to contribute to the company’s growth. If you can show that you prioritize the company’s success over individual success, you will confirm that seamless integration with their team is plausible.

Throughout your compelling message, don’t forget to communicate high levels of confidence, trustworthiness, and integrity. Show why you are different than the traditional job seeker and let your personality shine through. If you cannot garner a genuine enthusiasm for the role, more likely than not, this position is not right for you.

Proofreading

The last thing you want is the strong impression you’ve developed through your work history, education, company research, and passion for the industry to be thwarted by a lack of attention to detail. Don’t overlook the importance of double and triple-checking your letter for grammatical and spelling errors. Enlist the help of your friends, family, Grammarly, and conclude with your final readthrough. 

After the long, strenuous process of constructing your cover letter, it can be difficult to muster the energy and patience to do one last proofread. You are excited to be finished with your masterpiece and eager to get your passion-filled application into the eyes of the employer. Still, even one misworded or confusing sentence could prove costly. Don’t give them any reason to toss your application aside, especially when it is one easily under your control.

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