Christmas Job Hunting Tips: Make the Most of the Holiday Season

Many people view the holiday season as a time for relaxation, family gatherings, and festive cheer. However, the Christmas holidays can also be an excellent opportunity to advance your career. Although many job seekers assume that companies pause hiring during Christmas, the reality is that most businesses continue to seek talent, especially since they need to prepare for the coming year. Here's how you can leverage the festive season to enhance your job search.

Understand the holiday job market

Contrary to popular belief, December is an active hiring month due to a number of reasons. Unbeknownst to most Job seekers, companies continue to hire during the month of December. Here are a few reasons why many businesses do not stop hiring during this time:

• Year end budgets. A lot of companies aim to fill roles before the end of the fiscal year so that they can utilize their hiring budget.
• Preparation for the new year. Many businesses seek and hire talent in anticipation of the new projects and expansions they aim to start in January.
• Less competition. Since a lot of job seekers put their job search on hold during the holiday season, companies understand that it gives an edge to proactive candidates.

Update your resume and cover letter

Another year has almost come to a close. Which means, it is time for you to update your resume and cover letter with all the achievements of this year. Ensure that your resume and cover letter are polished and tailored for the roles that you are targeting in the coming year. Here are a few things that you can do to ensure that your resume is updated.

• Highlight recent achievements in the Work Experience section
• Give it a fresh coat of paint with a new ATS-friendly resume design.
• Optimize your resume for the ATS using keywords.
• Add your latest jobs and experiences to your resume.
• Incorporate the stats from your performance reviews of this year.

Network at holiday events

December is an excellent time for you to network for your new job search. Many companies fill the festive season with networking opportunities, from office parties to community gatherings. Proactive candidates use these events to advance and expand their provisional connections. Make a habit of reconnecting with old contacts by sending them holiday greetings. You can mention your career goals to your mentors and colleagues. You can also attend industry events during the Christmas holidays. As many organizations host end of year celebrations and networking mixers, this one will be easy for you.

Leverage social media

Social media platforms such as LinkedIn are powerful tools for holiday job hunting. Even if you're on your PTO at home, you can still use this time to advance your job hunt. Leverage your social media to get the visibility you need during this holiday season. One of the easiest ways to stay on top of recruiters’ minds is to engage with them through social media. As many recruiters remain active on LinkedIn during December, you can send them personalized messages expressing your interest in their company and any open positions. You can also participate in holiday campaigns by commenting on festive posts from companies that are on your radar. Another important thing that you must do is to stay active on your social media. Post an update on your LinkedIn profile to improve your visibility.

Apply strategically

This tip is valid year round when you're applying for jobs. When you're applying for a job during the holidays, you must be mindful to apply for positions that you are sure about. There will be a lot of inactive listings on social media and job sites during December. Don't waste your time crafting perfect job applications for those. Instead, focus your attention on roles posted within the last 30 days, as these are the most likely to be actively hiring during the holiday season. If you have any job applications that you haven't heard back from this past year, you can follow up on them during the holiday season. Also keep in mind to target seasonal roads. Many businesses in sales and retail hire temporary staff during the holidays. A lot of these positions can end up leading to permanent opportunities.