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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Not so long ago, I was asked to come in and help with the corporate personality, or culture of a company who was experiencing 75% annual turnover. Upon assessment, I found the employees to be feeling pretty depressed and helpless - the way a lot of workers are feeling right now. This is bad for business. When employees are depressed, facts show they are less productive too.
When an entire company becomes depressed, it's often a result of circumstances that management was unable to predict or control. For example, layoffs are affecting lots of companies right now, but I can tell you some will rebound quite easily, while others will fall apart. Here's why...
Every company has a corporate culture that creates a personality for the organization. Some companies actively try to create the personality, while others ignore it and let the personality form itself. And we all know every personality has its strengths and weaknesses. In times of stress, the companies who let the ugly side of their personality control the environment don't do so well. However, those companies that recognize their corporate personality's weaknesses and opt to alter them do much better. So, I ask you: Is your company's personality hurting their ability to bounce back in this economy? To help you decide, let me explain the four corporate personalities at their worst:
Commander: Intense and deadline-driven, work is no place for emotion and there is no such thing as appreciation. Their motto, "I don't care what you did for me yesterday. What can you do for me today?"Energizer: Overly-optimistic to the point of being insincere and insane. Their motto, "Everything is fine, it's great. Just think happy thoughts, be super-positive and we'll mentally will our company to improve. Now, let's do a team cheer!"Empathizer: Reeling in self-pity, everyone is gossiping doom and gloom, including management. Their motto, "I would get your resume out there. This is so bad, get out while you can!"Contemplator: Secretly horrified, but doesn't want the world to know, nor do they want to do anything rash or stupid. Their motto, "Let's put our heads down and work. The less we talk about it, the better."
If any of the above personalities sound like your place of employment, then your company could use some help getting back on track. In fact, maybe you even see all four types within your management team - multiply personalities in a corporate culture can exist too. So, what can be done?
The secret lies in knowing how to implement strategies that can pull the corporate culture out of its funk. It's done using a Ying & Yang Approach. Simply put, companies implement some things that are opposite to their personality as a way to pull the culture out of its tunnel vision and restore balance. Let me share an example...
The company I mentioned above had a Commander personality. They were deadline-driven, intense high achievers who prided themselves on hiring the best and the brightest that delivered unbelievable results. Unfortunately, they had a couple of setbacks with the loss of a few key clients that left them reeling. So, instead of stepping back and taking the pressure off, the stepped it up and put the pressure on the staff - the result was top talent leaving in droves. So, how did we fix it? We went 180 degrees on the staff.
We instituted some programs that went completely against the personality of the company. Employee appreciation programs and some changes in rules, along with some staff training to help close knowledge gaps and easy pressure to perform. (I must NOTE the only reason it worked is because the executives of the company were on board and willing to recognize they needed to change the strategy in order to change the results.) But it did work, turnover dropped dramatically, and they got back on track.
In summary, I know there is a lot of corporate anxiety and fear out there right now, and that brings out the worst in corporate cultures. However, employees AND companies need to move past this. The best way to do it is with some innovative approaches that help the personality of the workplace get back to a good place as quickly as possible. Understanding how your corporate culture needs to change is the key. My advice to managers - don't wait! There are plenty of low-cost ways to bring your culture back to a calm state. Just be sure to implement some so your company's personality doesn't get the best of it.
Do you know how managers and co-workers view you at work? More importantly…want to find out? Click here » to take our FREE career personality test.
[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM.com and CEO of CareerHMO.com, a web-based career development company.Photo credit: Shutterstock
