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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Today’s job board detox tip: Research potential salary and compensation packages.
Whether or not you have a job offer in the bag or not, you must research ahead of time potential salary packages. You must get as prepared for this part of the hiring process as you do for the formal interviews. It is that critical.
Why is it critical? Because if you unprepared you could blow potential income and package opportunities. Say you get an offer and you are unprepared? What happens especially if you have given your salary range already?
Perhaps the offer is the same pay that you came from but less flexibility or the benefits are so-so. You must get prepared. Understand what you want, what you need - we all have to have a baseline of what we can live on. Taking even the best job in the world will not be satisfying if you are unable to pay your bills.
Quick tips to prepare yourself for this part of the hiring process.
Research. Know what the position you are looking at in the geographic area is paying. Check out what people are saying about that company and their compensation habits for employees. Glassdoor.com is great for this. Are they cheap or do they take good care of their employees.
Never discuss salary at the beginning of the process. Try your absolute hardest to not give a salary range. Here is a good line to use. “I am sure that the firm is paying within the market so I am sure their will be no issues. How about we continue to discuss how I can help your firm and we’ll take it from there?” This deflects the question and gets the interview focused off of salary, in a professional way.
Practice negotiating. This is a learned skill for most of us but is extremely necessary. Practice and read up on salary negotiation skills.
Lastly know what your must-haves or non-negotiables are. Know on what items you can bend and what you can’t. I had a client that took a large pay cut but was hired by a cutting edge firm in an area of the country he and his wife wished to move to. Plus he was given several opportunities to speak and be published. For the short term pay cut he will be receiving long term exposure and more than likely higher pay down the road.
Resource: Jack Chapman is an expert in this area. Visit his website here.
Job board detox salary image from Shutterstock
