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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People are often surprised to hear the first step in '10 Key Steps to a Successful Job Search' is to choose a place to live. It sounds obvious and easy (which is always good for a first step, right?), but honestly, there is no better way to narrow down a career search than defining where you want to live while you work.
If your answer is "anywhere," then take the time to figure out where you would LOVE to live. Pick no more than two locations so that you can limit your search to these towns and the surrounding areas. Keeping in mind, cost-of-living, transportation access, proximity to family and friends, etc., you'll want to select places that suit your lifestyle and budget.
IMPORTANT: Here's where I overcome your objections to the advice above...
What if I can't make up my mind?
Hmmm, not sure how to determine where you should choose to live? Check out this FREE site which does the research on every town in America for you - Sperling's Best Places has been researching the best places to live for years. It can help you evaluate a location based on your unique needs - cool stuff!
Won't I be limiting my options?
Well, if you are senior executive who makes more than $500K/year, then yes, limiting where you want to live is not ideal. However, for the rest of us who hang out in the middle income level, choosing to focus is smart in you will do a better job of marketing yourself. Let me explain...
As we climb the salary ladder, the number of job opportunities available to us diminishes. Think of it like a pyramid: at the base are lots of lower-paying jobs because the skills required can be done by most folks. But as we become more accomplished and develop our strengths in a certain field or profession, our value goes up, while the number of jobs that require our level of expertise gets smaller.
Okay, so doesn't that prove I should keep my location options open?
The basic logic says 'yes' but what you aren't considering is the quality versus quantity factor in a job search. If you don't choose to focus on a location, then your efforts to build a network of contacts and establish your personal brand within a community (which you learn a lot more about in a future lesson) will be difficult. In short, while you'll be casting a wide net, it won't go very deep, and you'll miss all the big fish (a.k.a. awesome job opportunities). Not to mention, you could end up taking a so-so job in a town you don't want to live in - and that would really stink!
What if I'm certain where I want to live doesn't have the kind of job opportunities I'm looking for?
Ha! Nice try. I'm not buying that one because you are basing it on what you've done to thus far to find a job. In the coming lessons, you are going to learn things that will not only change your perspective, they'll literally increase the number of jobs available to you. Yep, you heard me. So, put that objection in your back pocket and at the end of the series, let's see if it's still there, okay?
So, to recap, LESSON #1 is to simply choose where you want to work. Remembering our jobs only take up part of our day, you must chose a place that makes you happy. The ultimate goal is a work-life balance that satisfies you - and that just can't be done if you are living someplace you don't like, right? And, if you want to see the other 9 steps, sign-up here » and you'll get them automatically.
[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]
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