Hectic! Exciting! Stressful! These adjectives are all good ways to describe the last few months of the year and the holiday season. Because this is such a frenzied time of year, it is easy to see why many people have the mistaken belief that job searches are fruitless during the last part of the year. Thought it would be helpful to dispel some holiday job searching myths.
Myth 1.
Companies do not call job seekers in for interviews during the last part of year.
Actually, a number of companies do interview job candidates during this time of year because they have a pretty clear picture of their needs and budget going in to the next year. Employers often prefer to have open positions filled with new employees who are ready to start on January 1.
Myth 2.
Employers do not post new job openings during the last part of the year.
False for the same reasons as in Myth 1. Employers are at a point where coming year budgets are either finalized or close enough. They know what new or currently vacant positions that they are going to be able to fund. These employers want to get the word out to informed and highly motivated job seekers who don’t let the holidays grind their searches to a halt.
Myth 3.
Holiday parties are terrible places to network.
Just the opposite. What better times to catch a person in a good mood. In the midst of celebrating, the average person tends to be more relaxed and chatty than he or she might normally be in a day to day situation. Also, individuals tend to be especially giving during this time of year and may go out their way to help you.
By knowing that job searches during the last part of the year can be just as fruitful, if not more so, than other times of year, you will be one step ahead of competition.
For more information on job searches, have a look at:
15 Places to Find Job Openings
These are helpful tips. I was searching for a job around this time last year, and what you are saying rings true.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Very happy to hear your perspective.
It would seem, also, that those weeks before Christmas and New Years may be “slower” in the workplace allowing more time to conduct interviews. Great post. Thanks so much for sharing it on Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.
Very helpful tips. Especially since I am job hunting. Gonna have to save these so I can remember. Thanks for linking up with this my love.
So glad to and very happy that this information may help you in your job search.
I think that after the Balck Friday/thanksgiving weekend, a few positions may have been opened up I work retail, and everyone know that any who’s scheduled during that weekend and doesn’t show up is axed. Also, some of the temp employers may leave after the holidays. Thanks for the tips!
Yes, definitely! Persistence pays off.
Great tips! My husband is in management and he’s definitely aware of the coming year’s budget and the need to fill positions. He also has plenty of people who didn’t show up over the holiday weekend so they no longer have jobs! If you’re looking, keep it up- they are out there! Thanks for linking up to Let’s Get Real!
Fun to link up to Let’s Get Real. And thanks for the great insights from your husband’s experience.