Reading the news on a daily basis can be a real drag on the holiday spirit and mood. And that’s especially true if your looking for a new job. So – what can you REALLY do to keep some momentum going in your search?
1. Stay in touch. While it may be true that there will be few actual hiring decisions made before December 31st, it’s also true that this is a terrific time of year to connect and reconnect with friends, colleagues and business associates. But remember – it’s a stressful time for a lot of people, and don’t make your efforts to connect about you and your search. Reach out as a friend might and ask how your contact is doing. It might even be a good idea to let them know you’re thinking about them and hope to touch base after the holiday season. A brief note indicating real concern about others can go a long ways towards making sure your networking efforts are primed to deliver results after January 1st. Remember, at it’s most fundamental core, a job search is a human interactive process. So take this time of year to really make it human and touch base with people that way.
2. Take care of yourself. How many times have you seen this piece of advice? Quite a bit, I’m sure. But it’s still really good advice. Exercise, don’t over eat, rest and find constructive ways to spend your time. it’s a tough time of year, but don’t let yourself get caught up in a spiral of negativity. Take affirmative steps to keep a positive attitude and find some time to treat yourself well.
3. Re-evaluate your search. You’ve had lots of networking meetings and applied for lots of jobs, but nothing is working. Maybe the market is telling you something. Maybe your resume isn’t telling your story very well. Maybe you’re targeting jobs that don’t match your qualifications and background. Maybe you aren’t engaged in effective networking or follow-up activities. Maybe you’re relying too much on the Internet. Who knows, but this is a good time to take a step back, and look at what’s been working and what hasn’t been working. If your search is not going as well as you’d like, make some changes.
Like I said, this is a tough time of year to be looking for work. But work IS out there. I’m seeing clients land jobs – good jobs – all over the US. Searches are taking longer, and jobs are not always posted and they are not always with large companies. But there are jobs to be had. So keep your head up, enjoy the holidays as much as possible, and good luck in January.
