This time of year offers special opportunities for job seekers. Holiday networking events, for example, can be great chances to meet professionals you might not encounter otherwise. Additionally, some employers are still eager to fill positions before budgets reset or headcount is finalized in the new year, making it a prime time to stand out with a strategic approach.
Here are five ways you can stand out from the competition this holiday season and find a job before the end of the year.
1. Showcase The Right Skills On Your Resume
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When updating your resume, focus on aligning your experience with the specific demands of the industry. Go beyond just listing responsibilities; dig into job descriptions to identify the core skills that consistently appear for your target roles. By tailoring your resume with these keywords, you not only capture the attention of hiring managers but also boost your chances of passing applicant tracking systems (ATS), which are often programmed to scan for these key terms. It's all about keywords!
During the holiday season, hiring managers are often managing tight timelines and high demands, making it crucial for candidates to demonstrate that they’re ready to hit the ground running. Highlighting industry-relevant skills shows you're not only familiar with the landscape but also equipped to make an immediate impact. Be sure to include examples of how you've leveraged these core strengths in previous roles to support team goals or tackle challenges (aka quantify your work experience). The holidays are hectic, so share with the potential employer how you'll be a positive addition to the team by leveraging your strengths and emphasizing your value as a business-of-one.
2. Dress The Part
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Don't underestimate the power of a great first impression. Dress for the interview in professional attire. Even if the job description mentions a casual dress code, such as jeans and a sweatshirt, it’s essential to show respect for the employer by dressing in a way that demonstrates your commitment to making a positive impression. Wearing attire that reflects your professionalism shows you care about how you're perceived and the impression you leave on others.
Not sure what to wear? We recommend dressing conservatively in clothing one level above what the current employees at the company are wearing. You want to look professional, but not like you don't fit in with the workplace culture.
3. Show Your Connection To The Company
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Employers like to hire candidates who have a passion for what they do. Why? Because when people are passionate about their work, that enthusiasm often translates into a higher level of commitment, creativity, and productivity. This intrinsic motivation can lead to consistently strong performance and a positive impact on the team and company as a whole.
In your disruptive cover letter (and during your job interview), demonstrate how and why you admire the company. Highlight what you love most about their products and services. Give examples of how you have personally used them in your own life with success. The more you can show them you understand and respect the business, the more likely you'll impress the hiring manager and move forward in the interview process.
4. Demonstrate Your Value
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It's important to remember that you're a business-of-one, and you're trying to sell the service you provide as a business-of-one to employers (the customers who will be paying you for the service).
To find a job during the holidays, you must adequately demonstrate your value as a business-of-one and highlight your strengths and the specific benefits you bring as a potential employee throughout the hiring process. How do you do this? Well, make sure to quantify your work experience on your resume. Use numbers to showcase your accomplishments. Clearly state how you'll make or save the company money with your employment. Do this, and you'll easily become one of the top candidates for the position.
5. Express Gratitude
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The holidays are busy for everyone. When you're applying for jobs during the holiday season, keep gratitude in mind. This positive mindset not only helps you stay resilient but also shines through in your applications and interviews, leaving a memorable impression on potential employers.
After every job interview, always send a thank-you note. It's just the polite thing to do, and you'll score more points with the hiring manager. Even if you get rejected, or never hear back about a position, make sure you send an email thanking the employer for the opportunity and wish them the best of luck with finding the right job candidate.
Don't be bitter. Be gracious. You never know what will happen in the future. You might want to apply for another job at the company down the line. So, don't let your frustration get the best of you. Remember: If you get rejected, they didn't say, "No, not ever." They just said, "No, not today."
A successful holiday job search depends on a solid strategy. Follow the guidelines above and land a job this holiday season!
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Have you ever considered pursuing a career as a Technical Writer? This interview takes you through the ups and downs you can expect, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This is a true career story as told to DiversityJobs and is one of many interviews with editors and publishers.
I have been working in the market research industry as a technical writer for over three years. A normal day at work includes researching and writing market reports about various industries, mainly composites, thermoplastics, and energy. I also create guides for businesses who are either starting up or are looking to expand into new regions or markets.
Many people think that as a technical writer, I spend all day writing incredibly intricate, detailed, and complicated reports; however, some of my projects are as simple as a report about the background of an industry or company.
I would rate my happiness at my current job at a six. Not because I find it difficult or because it isn’t what I want to do, but because my current employer does not offer as much variety as I would like. In my three years working with this company, I have only composed so many different reports. Most of them are industry analyses, opportunity evaluations, press releases, and presentations. I would really like to break out of these reports and write with more freedom, really stretching my creative muscles.
I would not say that this is my calling in life. I do love to write, but like I said earlier, there is not enough variety for me. I would really like to be a college professor and researcher. While I was in college, I did some teaching here and there and it really helps you understand what you’re passionate about.
College is a great place to grow as an individual even if you’re not a student and I would love to go back and teach while continuing to research and write. Many people are shocked to learn that, as a technical writer, I did not get a degree in any of the industries about which I write.
It is a common misconception that you need to get a degree in chemical engineering to write reports about composites, but I got a degree in English and Writing. There was a steep learning curve at first, but I feel very comfortable writing about chemicals, energy, and composites. Plus, I always have co-workers who are researching the same thing and I can ask them questions if I need help understanding a particular concept.
I actually came into this industry on a whim. I mentioned earlier I did a bit of teaching in college. I was actually aiming to be a high school teacher, but my internship changed my mind and I decided to pursue another career.
I started looking for writing and editing jobs because I love research and writing. I just happened to make the right decision! My path took me in a different direction and I’m happy with where I am now.
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that the kind of student you are in college is the kind of working adult you will become. Students think that they can cruise through college and become serious when they get a job. The fact is that those habits are really hard to break.
I can tell which of my co-workers coasted through college. It is harder for them to manage their time and realize when they are doing their best work or when they need to work harder. Those habits are hard to break.
The strangest thing that’s ever happened to me as a technical writer was actually when I was helping the editors get through some reports to be published.
Apparently, one of my fellow writers either had not learned about plagiarism in college or did not care that he was stealing someone else’s work. We found that a majority of his reports were copy and pasted from internet articles. I put them straight into a search engine and found whole paragraphs on other websites. It was strange that he thought he could do that and get away with it!
There are numerous challenges in working with the production of reports and projects, mainly the fact that so many people look at and evaluate your work. Then, your report gets bounced around between editors and supervisors until it finally comes back to you for rework or to be released.
Sometimes the editors and managers actually help you clarify a point of improve the flow of your work. Other times, they will completely butcher a paragraph you were really proud of writing. I will get reports back from editing and the entire meaning is changed because they did not understand what I was trying to say, even though it was right. It can be really frustrating!
My job can be very stressful because we have very strict deadlines. I try to stay on top of my work so I am less stressed when deadlines approach.
Technical writer career image from Shutterstock
