Don't Let The Holidays Kill Your Job Search Momentum

I recently had a client ask me if they should wait until after the new year to start applying for jobs. It reminded me of a post I wrote back in 2013. Since the advice still holds true, I thought I would resurrect it from the archives...

The holiday season is officially here, and that means professional activities, like hiring, start to slow down. That fact leads a lot of job seekers to put their prospecting activities on hold until the tryptophan has worn off and the trees have come down. And that is just one reason why you should not let up on your job search during the holidays:

Things slow down but they don’t stop – Yes, hiring can seem all but none-existent during the holidays, but opportunities still arise. A lot of job seekers will be taking their foot off of the gas, so those opportunities that do show up may just be a little less competitive than they would be during other periods.

The holidays are a great chance to get caught up – Because business tends to slow down in December, a lot of HR professionals / hiring managers seize on the opportunity to get caught up on work; reviewing candidates may just be one of those activities. Additionally, a lot of companies will be closing out old budgets, which means hiring might be right around the corner.

Time off can be a momentum killer – It can be very challenging to get into the rhythm of a focused job search, so you definitely don’t want to loose your mojo once you’ve found it. Of course, we all need a break; just don’t completely step away from your job search activities or you may find it difficult to get back into the swing of things.

Take some time to enjoy the season. But remember that career opportunities still exist. Wouldn’t a new position be a nice way to start out the New Year?