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
Bigstock
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
Bigstock
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
Bigstock
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
Bigstock
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
Bigstock
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!
Need more help with your job search?
Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
Negative References Need Not Cost You that Perfect Job DETROIT (AUGUST 9, 2011) - Donna Edwards (not her real name) appeared to be at an employment "dead end." Unemployed and seeking a new job, she had lost numerous promising job opportunities in her medical-related field even though her feedback from interviews had been stellar. Prospective employers would indicate the job was all but hers and then…the bottom would drop out and these same employers would not return her calls. Donna suspected a bad reference in her background and decided to be proactive in saving her career prospects.
Her first step was to utilize a professional reference-checking firm to document both the verbal input and the tone of voice her former supervisor was using when contacted for a reference about her. As she feared, the reference check feedback revealed that a former supervisor was offering a “blackball” assessment of her, virtually guaranteeing her inability to get any type of future employment. Fortunately, her reference check report was admissible for remedial/legal purposes, and Donna elected to “fight back” to ensure this supervisor would not cost her any more lost jobs.
The reference-checking firm was able to refer Donna to an employment attorney well-versed in cases like hers. After discussing possible legal options, they decided upon a “Cease & Desist” letter, one of the most common remedies for neutralizing a negative reference. The attorney sent a letter to the CEO of Donna’s former employer, identifying Donna’s negative reference by name and the fact that the reference had been documented as offering negative input about her. The letter also indicated that if the reference-giver ever offered negative input about Donna again, legal action would be taken against the firm.
The CEO’s response to the attorney letter was swift. He apologized on behalf of the company and assured Donna’s attorney the employee in question would never offer a negative reference about her again.
While thrilled with this outcome, Donna was disinclined to leave any stone unturned. She authorized the reference checking company to conduct an additional new check with her former supervisor and found that this second time around, her reference followed corporate policy and would only confirm her former title and dates of employment.
Donna’s scenario and the ultimate success achieved through the Cease & Desist letter were not isolated cases. Allison & Taylor reports approximately half of all reference checks they conduct reveal negative input from the reference. However, the overwhelming majority of Cease & Desist cases generated from these negative reference checks invariably reflect a favorable outcome. The reason: given a choice between addressing possible legal action against their company, or in discouraging an employee who violated corporate policy (and perhaps local, state, or national law) from ever doing so again, the CEO would unfailingly choose the latter course.
The story has a happy ending – with her excellent job qualifications (and no negative references), Donna was gainfully employed shortly thereafter. When congratulated by a friend on her new employment, Donna responded: “I only wish I had identified, and addressed, my bad reference situation earlier than I did.”
###
Allison & Taylor and its principals have been in the business of checking references for corporations and individuals since 1984. Allison & Taylor is an official partner of CAREEREALISM.com and headquartered in Rochester, Mich. For further details on services and procedures please visit www.allisontaylor.com.Photo credit: Shutterstock
