Job Search Strategies Thatll Work Even During The Holiday Season

Job Search Strategies Thatll Work Even During The Holiday Season Its true.Hiring tends to slow down at this time of year. Hiring managersand recruitersmight be out of the officeor waiting for next years budget to make hiring decisions. This does not mean, however, that there are no jobs out there or that you should forget about your job search all togetheruntil next year.Successful job seekers aim to be the first rolle hiring managers think of when a new role opens up. January typically means a hiring boom, so set the stage to be the one that hiring managers think of when a job pops up in the New Year. Here are some easy ways to make the best of your job search during the holiday season.1. Holiday Parties Stay in touch and meet new people at the same time Keep an eye out for industry holiday parties. These can be great opportunities to catch up with dozens of connections at once while also expanding your network. Meeting with friends and colleagues in person is far mora memorable tha n a quick email to check in. A mixer atmosphere means that people are ready to chat and mingle, as opposed to mora traditional meetings where it can be harder to break into a circle of people chatting or everyone is focused on a presenter. If you have a running list of people with whom you plan to connect by the end of the year, you might be able to check many of them off of your list with just one event.2. Reconnect Share your search with those you dont often see. The end of the year will bring opportunities to reconnect with those you dont see often your spouses colleague at an office party, or your third cousin in town for the holidays, for instance. Use these opportunities to let a new set of people know that youre on the market and which jobs would be the perfect fit.It will help spread the word about your search to a fresh group of people and tap intotheir networks, as well. A reconnection might hold the keys to your next opportunity. You never know to whom people are connecte d, so dont dismiss anyone as a person who cant help.3. Get Online Spend time applying for jobs onlineduring the holidays. Networking lunches, meetings and interviews might slow down as everyone is rushing around. Also, job seekers often take a break from their searches, convinced that there arent any jobs available. These factors make thisa great time to check out job boards. Youll be among a much smaller group of applicants and there is a higher chance that your follow up email will be read if inboxes are a little less full.4. Interview PrepWhy scramble to prepare when youve scheduled aninterview? Start to get ready for your New Year interviewsnow. Make a list of stories that youd want to share in an interview a proud accomplishment, a kollektiv victory, a challenging customer or successful product launch. Put these stories in SOAR format Situation, Obstacle, Action and Result. Not only will this exercise get you ready for interviews, it will also bolster your confidence as you r eflect on your achievements.4. Recharge Enjoy the season Youcant job search every minute of the day. Be effective in the work you do and remember that the best you is well rested and not overwhelmed by your search. Treat yourself to a glass of eggnog or a holiday concert and trust that your efforts will surely pay off.Use these tips to stay consistent in your search efforts, even as things slow down. Although we might face a lull, it is not true that no one is hiring this time of year or nothing is open right now. This season brings many unique opportunities to explore and conquer.-------Alyson Garrido is passionate about helping women advance their careers and find jobs they will enjoy. As a career coach, she partners with her clients to identify their strengths and create a path toward a more fulfilling career. Alyson provides support around preparing for interviews, performance reviews and salary negotiations, ensuring that you present yourself in the best possible light for job search and career advancement. Learn more or book a session with Alyson by visiting www.alysongarrido.com.