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!
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Joshua Waldman
I used to tell my clients to update their profiles and status on LinkedIn no more than two times a week.
All of that has changed since LinkedIn’s integration with Twitter.
Now, there is almost no limit to the number of times you should update your LinkedIn status, but there are still some things you will need to be careful about.
Update Frequently, but LinkedIn is NOT Twitter
In an earlier post, I wrote about the rules of intimacy for each of the main social media tools. These rules, for the most part, have not changed.
LinkedIn is still a place of professional networking. The voice and tone of what get’s posted in status updates tends to reflect a professionalism typical of LinkedIn’s past.
Twitter on the other hand, in my opinion, is much more casual. I have a celebrity client who told me she tweets about which celeb is having sex with another, because these tweets get more attention.
On Twitter, it’s OK to ask for clicks, retweets and even for business, if done with taste and in moderation.
On LinkedIn, such behavior is not tolerated.
So what has changed?
Simply, the only change is the frequency people are updating their status. Now it seems once or twice a day is quite OK.
Enjoying this article? You could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail.The New LinkedIn/Twitter Strategy
If you are already on Twitter, then making the jump to daily LinkedIn updates is a no-brainer. Most of the Twitter tools, such as Tweetdeck and Hootsuite, already allow you to post to both services simultaneously.
Simply post only the more professional tweets to your LinkedIn profile, leave the rest of them on Twitter.
If you are not on Twitter, then you may still want to adopt the daily status update strategy. It will give you an opportunity to get in front of more people more frequently without breaking any social media Faux Pax.
With more people posting on LinkedIn, there is also more opportunity to interact. Simply leave comments beneath other people’s updates to let them know you are listening to them. This is a great way to begin conversations, network and develop your personal brand.
Did you enjoy this article? Read more articles by this expert here.
Joshua Waldman is the owner of Career Enlightenment where he helps motivated job seekers get better jobs faster using social media. He received his MBA from Boston University and has 5 years of corporate experience and consulting. You can find him at www.CareerEnlightenment.net or follow him on Twitter at @JoshuaWaldman.
