Reasons to continue job search during the holidays

In fact, the holiday season offers a lot of opportunities for career transition which don’t exist at any other time of the year. This article will explain four reasons why you should keep searching through the holiday season.

Hiring Still Happens 

Traditional logic has always dictated that hiring tends to slow down for most companies and industries towards the end of the year, and picks up in the new year.

But the truthfulness of that logic has always been iffy, and the job market has been more dynamic lately than ever before. 

For you, this means that new positions are opening up every day which were supposed to be filled months ago or marketplace changes have opened up new positions as companies respond. Staying sharp and responsive during this time could lead to great opportunities.  

Competition Slows Down

That being said, this year is going to still be filled with people taking a break to focus on the holidays. This might mean a break in the competition for you, and opportunities for interviews you might not have gotten at a different time of year when there was a bigger candidate pool.

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In addition, it’s a good sign for employers that you’re willing to keep moving forward on a project at a time when other people slow down. This speaks to your commitment and work ethic.

Learning Costs Less

Toys and TVs aren’t the only things that go on sale around the holidays. Many certification programs or online learning companies like Coursera, Udemy, or foreign-language courses also have discounts for Black Friday or Cyber Monday. And like many retailers, they’re expanding sales throughout the season this year.

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Continuous education is a great way to get an edge on competitors, and also to prove your commitment to knowing the latest information. Many of these courses are quick enough that you can start one in November and be completed by New Year’s. Take advantage of learning deals!

Use Other Peoples’ Time Off To Your Advantage

Even with all of the changes this year, there will still be many hiring managers and recruiters “out of office.” This means that any emails you send to them will likely not receive timely replies.

But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write those emails. Take advantage of the time and use your “save draft” feature liberally. You can also go back and tweak these drafts over the holidays.

Then, all you have to do later is send them all at once - a day or two after people begin to return to work. This will put your emails at the top of the list and give them a better chance of being seen as opposed to being lost in an overflow of unread messages.

Remember, opportunities happen every day of the year for people who watch out for them. Don’t put your job search on pause, and take advantage of your resources (including coaches) in order to keep the edge.