Obviously, this is one of the busiest times of the year for many. Shopping, presents, parties and making sure to drink and eat more than usual keeps us all busier than normal. But while we might otherwise be in a busy rush with all-things holiday-related, candidate and hiring related activity can seem to be at a standstill or move extremely slow at this time of year.
However, in speaking with Yoh recruiters with decades of experience, this can actually be a great timed opportunity for candidates to capitalize on the holiday downturn and use it to their benefit. In fact, if a recruiter could create a wish list for their candidate to do with their holiday downtime, these four items would be tops.
A Recruiter's Holiday WISH LIST for their Candidates
1. THERE IS LESS COMPETITION FOR AVAILABLE JOBS
While all of the other candidates (read: your competition) are focusing on non-job related activities, you could be better positioning yourself for that dream job! This is a great time to prepare for the new year and your job search. Update your resume and your LinkedIn profile. Review your other social media profiles and see if the photos and comments are appropriate for a new employer to see before deciding to hire you.
2. CAPITALIZE ON MORE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
You couldn’t pick a better time of year for networking. With so many social and business holiday functions happening in the months of November and December, the chances to connect with people seems endless. Take time to remind business contacts of what a great catch you are! It also doesn’t hurt to broadcast to your network that you’re on the job hunt. The more eyes and ears out there for you, the better.
If getting a job is #1 on your holiday wish list, click here to download the only guide you need to landing the job you want.
3. JANUARY AND FEBRUARY ARE A JOB GOLDMINE
Did you know? January and February are the best time of the year to look for a job. This is when organizations have received their updated budgets and sales forecasts and executives are better prepared to bring on new talent. These are the top months for hiring according to career advisers. Use this knowledge to cultivate a valuable collection of references to leverage once the new year arrives. Get yourself prepared to hit the ground running once all the job opportunities start popping up.
4. PARTNER YOUR DOWNTIME WITH SOME JOB-FOCUSED EFFORTS
While you are sitting by the fire sipping some hot cocoa, do some research! This is a great time to research target companies for your next career step, or research salaries so your expectations are more realistic. Take a look at job postings in your field and see what technologies and skills are being requested that maybe you haven’t used in a while – time to brush up on those skills and make yourself more marketable!
There are going to be definite cons to this time of year that impact a candidate. Things like employees being out of the office more than usual which impacts hiring feedback and decision-making, end of year budget reviews, and the fact that new and on-going job requisitions sometimes sit in the approval phase with no active feedback for longer than usual. By knowing these facts going in, you can temper your expectations accordingly. Just remember, things moving slower is temporary, and at least it still means there is movement happening albeit just not at the speed we’d prefer.
Patience is key. Things will start moving again in the new year and with these tips, some serious commitment, and a bit of elbow grease you can position yourself to be at the top of your recruiters hiring wish list in 2019.
