CAREER COUNSELING BY LEORA

Limited Time Sale & Exclusive Discounts On Online Consulting

Virtual career counseling and coaching services in California by CAREER COUNSELING BY LEORA for professionals and job seekers.
Menu
Book Consultation

What to Do for Your Job Hunt During the Holidays

By /

What to Do for Your Job Hunt During the Holidays

What you will find in this blog:

Job hunting during the holidays has a reputation for being terrible. “Why even bother?” levels of terrible. While it is not all doom and gloom, there is some validity to it being a tough time to look for work.

Many companies focus internally, bringing widespread teams together, have holiday closures, and employees take extended vacations. When hiring managers or recruiters take some well-deserved time off, hiring comes to a halt.

This year we are also seeing the data reflect a difficult season for those seeking employment. Fortune reports that hiring for the last three months of the year will make the smallest seasonal gain in 16 years. Tariffs and the government shut down are adding to economic uncertainty and fueling caution from businesses.

Fortune shares that large companies, even those retailers that usually ramp up for holiday help (think Amazon, Radial, Bath & Body Works, etc.), are hiring less seasonal help than in prior years.

That begs the question, what can you actually do for your job hunt during the holidays?

Action items for your job hunt during the holidays

Even if it seems like interviews have dried up, opportunities on job boards are down, and you are not hearing back from companies, that does not mean you should stop your job hunt efforts.

Here are some valuable things you can do to work on your job hunt this holiday season:

Update LinkedIn profile – Take time to check out your LinkedIn profile and make sure everything is filled in and accurate. Update your work history to match your resume. Ensure that your contact details and website (if applicable) are correct. Update your photo and cover if needed. If you have not posted in a while, be more active in your profile, create posts and engage with other people’s posts.

Refresh your resume – If you are not getting responses to your applications, you might need a resume refresh. Be sure to keep the formatting simple, use bullet points for readability, and to include measurable results. 

Seek out holiday networking opportunities – The holiday season is a great time to build and expand your network. So many organizations host holiday mixers. Go to as many as you are able and just meet people. Be sure to get contact information or connect on LinkedIn while you are there.

Manage your expectations – You already know that this is going to be a slow time of year for hiring. Companies are focused internally and hiring new folks falls somewhat to the wayside. Do not be discouraged if you do not hear back right away, or if you are having a hard time even finding job postings.

Consider seasonal work – If this is an option, you might consider temporary or seasonal work just until you can get back to your regular job search. Even though seasonal hiring is down, some companies still are hiring holiday support, and you may be able to secure one of those positions.

Look into a career counselor – If you have thought a career counselor might help, now is a great time to research and find someone who is a good fit. They can help you complete these items and more. Plus, if you establish a relationship now, you will be able to hit the ground running come the new year.

Take assessments – If you feel lost in your job hunt, an assessment such as the Strong Interest Inventory® can help you focus on areas of interest and discover potential career paths.

Research companies – In the spirit of planning ahead, take time to identify companies of interest. Check employee reviews and determine which companies are targets for future roles. This way, you can keep an eye on job postings and set notifications so you can be one of the first to apply when an opportunity arises. You might also consider checking on LinkedIn and finding current employees who may be a good fit for informational interview requests in the new year.

‘Tis the productive season

While actual movement from within companies can be slow during the holiday season, there is a lot you can do to be productive with your job search this time of year. If you invest your time now, complete these action items, you will be better prepared to start the new year with a fresh outlook on your job hunt and ready to hit the ground running.

Are you ready to make the most of your job search during the holidays? Connect with me and learn how I can help you navigate all these action items and more.

Scroll to Top