How to Search for a Job During the Holidays

How to Search for a Job During the Holidays The holiday season can be a challenging time for job seekers. Hiring often slows during these last 5 weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years, as many staffers cash in on their remaining vacation days, hiring budgets hit their max, and companies determine what their workforce will look like in 2020. This can also be positive news for job seekers, and I encourage you to consider two things: 1) Some companies may increase hiring this month provided they have the excess budget. 2) This is the best time to position yourself for a successful search in January. In the next few weeks, well be featuring a guide to What Your Resume Should Look like in 2020 on our blog. In the meantime, weve compiled a few of our top strategies for maintaining momentum during the holiday season and getting the most out of your job search: Get Your Resume + Brand Portfolio in Order If you havent updated your resume in some time, now is the time to do so. If you havent created a LinkedIn profile, or its sitting there blank, spend some time searching profiles of other individuals in your field to get a sense of the language, keywords, and content others are using to market themselves. Create multiple versions of your resume tailored to the different types of roles or organizations youre targeting. Draft a cover letter  that speaks to where you are now in your career, and where you plan to go next year. Also, consider creating an introductory letter that you can send to companies of interest that arent actively hiring. Remember, your resume and materials should speak to the job youre targeting, not necessarily the role you currently have. If youre looking to move up in your next role, position yourself for those opportunities. Assess Your Online Brand Take a few minutes to do a Google search your name (all variations of it) to see what kind of information on you is out there and available to prospective employers. Its not just about hiding things that may detract from your brand (i.e. social media profiles, a negative press mention, an embarrassing holiday party photo). Take control of your content by building positive links that will float up to the top of the search results. Learn how to use LinkedIn. One of the best ways to improve your digital presence is â€" you guessed it â€" building out a robust LinkedIn profile. The sheer size of LinkedIns network will ensure your profile shoots up to the top of the search results for your name. Run a search to see how many other individuals share your name, and make sure theres a way to differentiate yourself, whether its using your middle initial, hyphenating your name, or spelling out your full first name. Whatever the case, be sure that your name is consistent across all platforms, including LinkedIn, your resume, and any other public networking sites. One of the keys to a strong brand presence is consistency. Research New Job Opportunities Its easy to set up automatic email updates for new job postings, subscribe to a company newsletter, or configure Google alerts. Use this time to really conduct some in-depth research on companies, opportunities, and industry trends that might be useful in your search. Pay attention to whats happening in your field. New companies pop up every day, while others get bought out, fall on hard financial times, or receive a new round of multimillion-dollar investor funding. Do a search for lesser-known companies that offer great perks, flexible culture, and growth potential. Prepare a shortlist of your top 10-20 prospects that you want to approach in January, and create a customized resume and cover letter package for each. Bonus points if you comb LinkedIn and/or the company website to identify the name of the hiring manager. Assess Your Worth Are you being underpaid or underutilized? Consider whether your current salary or compensation package aligns with the market for your skillset and level of expertise. There are a number of tools out there on sites like Glassdoor, ADP, and PayScale to help you assess your value based on your geographic market, title, and experience level. If you are actively job searching and interviewing, be prepared to discuss your compensation requirements in the interview â€" including your current pay and the range youre targeting in your next opportunity. Being prepared ahead of time will boost your confidence and increase your chances of getting an ideal offer. Start Conversations Whether youre out on the holiday party circuit, gathering with friends and family for a meal, or attending an event, start talking to people about your 2020 career goals. You never know who-works-where, who-knows-whom, or what obscure relative happens to have an in to your dream company (it happens). Build new connections while refining your existing network. If your LinkedIn network is full of people you never speak to, go through and trim the fat. Consider which contacts youd like to retain or expand your relationship with, and send a friendly note wishing them a pleasant New Year. Practice talking about yourself and your accomplishments with friends, family, and colleagues. This is the number-one area where candidates slip-up in the interview, and AT LEAST 3 out of every 10 of my clients confide in me, Im not used to talking about myself. There is no place for modesty in the job interview. Practice makes perfect when it comes to solidifying your pitch, building confidence, and being able to clearly articulate your value. Finally, improve your chances by understanding the hiring lifecycle and how to follow up once youve submitted your application. What Next? If youre ready to navigate the job market, were here to help. Well help you create the best tools in the market and move you closer to your goals in 2020.