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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Writing Pitfalls To Avoid On Your Resume

You’re writing your resume, and you’d like to make your accomplishments stand out. You think to yourself, “How can I spice this up and get the manager’s attention?” You think of some of your favorite workplace-related films and the cool business lingo you’ve heard the actors throw around. You decide to call yourself a ‘rockstar’ at sales.

The hiring manager sees this, sighs, and moves on.

Just as there are words that can help you stand out or get through resume processing tools, there are plenty of words that might seem clever but actually hurt your first impression. Resume.com believes that not only can an employer learn about your skills and qualifications but also your communication skills and personality.

The experts at Indeed, Glassdoor, and Monster each have their list of words to avoid on your resume. We combine these into three categories of pitfalls to avoid before your next job search.

1. Overused buzzwords

We’ve all seen movies like The Wolf of Wall Street and Glengarry Glen Ross where we see actors playing suave businesspeople comfortably dropping impressive-sounding jargon and we want to emulate. Maybe you believe that your thought leadership created an ecosystem of synergy, causing everyone to buy-in. Perhaps we’ll get off on the next exit and discuss these findings at the next junction. But for most managers, buzzwords like these are overused and mostly used for padding.

In a compilation of most hated resume words by AvidCareerist’s Donna Svei, the buzzword “dynamic” made the list. Polled career advisor Bob McIntosh had this to say on the word,

“Your resume and interview presence should give a “dynamic” meta-message. If they don’t, using “dynamic” on your resume won’t get you an interview or a job offer.”

A common mistake is trying to make an entry-level job sound much more exciting than it actually was by throwing out jargon and synonyms, but a skilled hiring manager knows all the tricks. It’s much better to be clear, concise, and direct.

2. Telling instead of showing

The above words can be all sizzle, no steak, and fall into our second pitfall: telling instead of showing. Monster uses the phrase ‘hardworking’ as an example. Anyone can say they are a hard worker, and most organizations would like to assume every candidate they consider is willing to work hard.

Instead of saying it, use your resume to show how much of a hard worker you can be. Use examples and numerical data to back up your claim. What hard work have you done in your career, and how can you show it to the organization? ‘Detail-oriented’ is another common case. It’s a trait employers want every candidate to have, and it will make every mistake you make in the process more glaring.

Other common words and phrases falling into this pitfall include ‘accomplished’, ‘people-person’, ‘team-player, and ‘expert’. You want to avoid cliches whenever possible, but if you’re ever in a situation where you feel like there is no better way to express your point, make sure to back up your point with clear, expressive examples. Almost every career option will need to work with other individuals; don’t call yourself a team player. Instead, tell the employer how you led a team to increase brand awareness by 13% over the last year, and explain how you did it.

3. Unnecessary information

Hardworking and detail-oriented aren’t the only unnecessary words or phrases that make up a good portion of resumes. Once you’ve finished describing your experience and education, it’s easy to fill up extra blank space with phrases like ‘references available on request’ or ‘salary negotiable.’

These types of statements apply to every candidate and don’t deserve space on your resume. They can also make you look overeager; traditionally, salary discussions shouldn’t happen until later in the hiring process, and not being negotiable would be a strange stance.

In addition, anything resembling an objective summary is unnecessary. The content of your resume should make your skills apparent.

“If your resume is self-explanatory, there’s no need to take up valuable space with anything that’s redundant. Also, if you’re submitting a cover letter with your resume, that should be more than sufficient in addressing your objective for your application,” says Glassdoor writer Caroline Gray.

Wrap up

Just as knowing what to include on a resume is critical, the flip side of the coin is knowing what not to include. Even seemingly harmless buzzwords or small phrases may keep you from getting an interview.

Thankfully, armed with this knowledge, you can make necessary corrections. Use action-oriented verbs and phrases to show off those traits and accomplishments you’re proud of. Show initiative and show that you were the cause of success, not just ‘responsible’ for things. The aforementioned experts above have informative lists of examples of words that do help your resume and can be a great place to start.

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Five Ways Volunteering Experience Can Help Your Job Search

When applying for new positions, you’ll often be competing for an employers’ interest with dozens, or even hundreds, of other resumes. While daunting at first, understanding this can be a strength. You know you need to find a way to stand out and get the attention of the hiring managers, but what are the best ways to achieve that goal?

In addition to our other Resume Must-Haves For 2021, one of the best ways to make your resume pop is to highlight your volunteering experience. Not only is volunteering a great way to help out in your community, but did you know that LinkedIn’s research found that one out of every five hiring managers hired a candidate because of their volunteering experience?

If you’re looking to add that extra pizazz to your resume while doing some extra work you can feel good about, here are five reasons volunteering is valuable to your job search.

1. Volunteering allows you to learn new skills and earn tangible work experience

In your job search, a position may be searching for skills you have limited experience with or haven’t had the opportunity to gain in past positions. Alternatively, you may be a recently-graduated college student or someone entering a new career field in need of industry experience. Volunteering allows you to pick up these skills, and maybe some others you hadn’t considered. For example, being a volunteer at a science museum can not only improve your communication skills but can increase your knowledge on sustainability and green technology.

Help Guide expresses how these concrete skills can be gained and honed, even if you aren’t being paid. “You might feel more comfortable stretching your wings at work once you’ve honed these skills in a volunteer position first.”

2. Volunteering allows you to address resume gaps and can turn them into advantages

No matter the reasons they occur, the truth is that many employers view long or frequent resume gaps as a red flag for a candidate. Volunteering shows that you were engaged during these gaps and not only working to improve your skills but also using your time to help others.

Remember: just because this form of work is unpaid doesn’t mean that it isn’t work. Just as an unpaid internship is a valuable experience-building tool, so too is a less-structured form of volunteer work. Adding volunteering to your resume fills in some of those gaps while showing you used your time wisely.

3. Volunteering is one of the best ways to grow your network

Networking is ultimately the single most priceless tool to enhance both your career search and your overall career development. Mac’s List mentions volunteering as one of the foremost ways to forge relationships for the ‘hidden job market’.

“You don’t need to be a scion of industry, an heiress, or the boss’ son-in-law. You don’t even need to have a particularly strong relationship with prospective hiring managers. Even second- or third-degree connections give you a huge advantage in your job search.” (Mac’s List)

By volunteering, not only will you bump elbows with higher ranking folk in that industry, but you’ll be meeting people with similar passions and goals to you.

If you’re new to a field, this goes double. You’ll be able to get your feet wet and see if this career path or field is right for you, and you’ll be able to ask questions to the correct people. You may not gain a job directly through your volunteer organization, but you’ll gain valuable contacts that can last throughout your career journey.

4. Volunteering allows you to explore and showcase your passions

It’s easy enough to talk about your passions in a cover letter. Anyone can say “I am passionate about higher education” or “I am dedicated to the medical industry.” But volunteer work allows you to ‘put your money where your mouth is.’

A hiring manager will be able to see that you go beyond words when you have documented volunteer experiences. This can give you an edge over equally qualified candidates and land you the position.

Volunteering may even introduce you to new passions. You may take a volunteering opportunity for the above reasons and ultimately fall in love with that field or type of work. Volunteering can even introduce you to career fields you’d never considered in the past!

5. Volunteering shows who you are as a person

Tying into the above point, volunteer experience lets a hiring manager get a better idea of you as a person. Ultimately, volunteering should be done for the right reasons: helping others and being involved in a community. These traits show that you’re a dedicated person willing to put in the extra effort. It can display leadership abilities you may not have been able to showcase in your previous positions.

Volunteering shows you’re looking for more than your next paycheck. You use your time to assist others and grow as a person. Employers want someone they believe will not only do their best work but be invested in the position as well.

Wrap up

Not only is volunteering your time a great way to give back to your community and get more involved in your passions, but it makes you a more attractive professional candidate as well. These five benefits are just a taste of how vital volunteering experience can be. Do you already have volunteer experience and want to learn the best ways to showcase it on your resume? Our friends at Indeed and Zety can show you how!

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5 Signs You’ve Found The Right Candidate For The Job

Whether you are looking to fill a role internally or for a client, the ability to know the makings of a great candidate goes beyond a strong work history. Finding success in recruiting requires thorough investigation and great instincts. In addition to aligning company and candidate values, personality and culture fit play a significant role in finding a perfect match and ensuring employee retention. Often portrayed through the attributes of the former athlete, here are five clear-cut signs you’ve come across the right candidate for the job:

Well-Prepared & Naturally Inquisitive

A strong introduction is critical as it shows the candidate’s enthusiasm for the role, passion for the industry, and high interest in the organization. A great candidate will have thoroughly researched the organization and position before conversation. When they’ve taken the time to truly understand a company, it shows their motivation is pure.

Is the candidate posing unique, in-depth questions or generalized questions concerning their own selfish ambitions? The more qualified professionals will have the ability to demonstrate their skills and experience through the thought-provoking questions surrounding long-term goals, business strategy, and issue resolution.

While a high energy level should be conveyed in their cover letter, the candidate must remain consistent in phone conversations and interviews. There is a reasonable cause to be excited when a candidate appears confident and has checked off the early boxes. However, a senior-level background and leadership potential is not the end-all-be-all to the makings of a prime candidate. To become a leader backed by followers, employees must first master the art of listening and understand what it means to be a good follower.

“Nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day, you bet on people, not on strategies.” – Lawrence Bossidy, Former COO of GE.

Visible Knowledge & Proven Results

Insightful and well-informed candidates are hard to come by, but finding such professionals is an excellent prerequisite to the makings of an all-star employee. With a track record of success, you will find the candidate’s forward-thinking will shine through, and they will be able to bring ideas to the table quickly. If they find ways to contribute to the company during an interview, they set a strong precedent for what a future relationship holds. 

Beyond any bullet points from a resume, a great candidate will be able to provide specific examples or statistics showing they are a goal-setter and goal-achiever. Tying into the job description and organization’s values, the candidate will have data or documented progress to showcase their potential and relevance to the position at hand.

While you want your phone conversations and interviews to run smoothly, you can expect to receive some ‘pushback’ and hard questions when speaking with a quality candidate. If you are the only one driving conversation, it’s easy to assume the candidate has not given the position a lot of thought or is naturally reluctant in discussion.

Clear Communication & A Winning Personality

In coordinating various interviews, screenings, and monitoring job postings, hiring managers and recruiters are not keen to wasting time on incompetent job-seekers. When candidates respond quickly and professionally regarding a job opening, they provide a strong first impression to employers aiming to promptly work through the interview process. From job application to a final interview, receiving active and polite communication from a candidate reveals a strong level of interest and forecasts a responsive and alert employee.

When you can see energy in their body language and hear the passion in their voice, you know you’ve found a candidate worth pursuing. If you do not see positivity radiate off a candidate in conversation, it could be a red flag for what the future would hold. Aside from appearing disinterested in the role, employers should be wary of a lackluster personality, especially when rapidly approaching deadlines and internal/external business relationships are on the table. An optimistic employee is more likely to reenergize your team and take on new challenges.

You Weren’t Scared Away By Any ‘Red Flags’

In trusting your instincts, there is tremendous weight in evaluating a results-packed resume and a ‘culture fit,’ but don’t fall victim to placing all your eggs in one of these baskets. Every applicant will have their share of flaws, but only the best will acknowledge them in testimony. Finding the ‘right’ candidate does not always mean they will be the ‘perfect’ candidate. A suitable candidate will impress their interviewer with the openness and willingness to call out their weaknesses and share how they’ve corrected their mistakes. Being self-aware reveals the making of an honest and emotionally intelligent employee.

“I [trust] people who are so confident in their skills that they are openly and instantly humble about things they are not good at.” -Paul English, CEO at Lola.com

Their References Came Through

Aside from providing tangible evidence to their job performance, the best candidates will be able to have their skills and character endorsed through written and verbal testimonies. There is a strong level of comfortability that ensues with an applicant that is confident in the words their previous employers and colleagues have to say. In addition, evaluating an applicant’s social media platforms and what they choose to put out into the world will speak volumes to their character, morals, and professionalism.

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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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