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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This is a true career story as told to JustJobs. If you are considering a career in health care, check out our website for interviews with a phlebotomist, a substance abuse counselor, and a myriad of other health care professionals.
I worked as a nurse’s aide for three years for a convalescent home dealing with various aspects of elder patient care. As a caring, hard-working and positive individual, I helped many people carry on with their daily lives well into their old age.
A white, female in this field is a positive point because I was very non-threatening to both sexes. Women in the field do not generally feel discriminated against. They are seen as humanitarians and caretakers, which is natural for them.
In this position, a day would consist of attending to a list of patients. You must take care to dress them, take them to meals, and help feed and clean them. No medications are administered through a nurse's aide. Instead, nurse’s aides assist the nurses.
A nurse’s aide position requires much patience. There should be timely breaks, though when there is a busy day that does not always happen. The people that do this type of position work full shifts, but there are part-time positions available that might not be as stressful.
As most people do, when I first became a nurse’s aide, it was my first step in becoming a nurse. I wanted to go into nursing, so I looked at the various nursing homes in the area and applied. When I was offered work with the nursing home for which I currently work, I didn't hesitate to take the job.
One lesson I learned the hard way was to always check the equipment you must use. A blood pressure cuff is an important tool and if does not work properly, it must be replaced. Several readings on patients that were almost alike prompted me to take it in for a check. It was faulty and was replaced immediately.
Commitment to the job is important. It is something that you don’t learn, but something that you feel. You return to perform your duties because you know they are very important.
Sometimes strange things can happen on the job when you are a nurse’s aide. You might have to help assist when a patient forgets where they are and they want to go home. It can be a little frightening that they forget where they are, but when you are patient with them they usually are okay within minutes.
At the holidays, a nurse’s aide is considered part of the family for the sick person. It is wonderful to see the family all together enjoying that their older person is still with them. They are very joyous and the holidays are special. You become very close to your patients when you are a nurse’s aide.
Challenges are part of life and being a nurse’s aide is a position that has several of them. It will make a huge difference when you manage them and face them head on.
There is stress involved in being a nurse’s aide, as in all jobs. The key is to know your duties well and perform them within the time limitations that you are given.
I was paid the minimum wage salary in my regional area, plus two dollars an hour roughly. A good worker will receive raises usually once or twice a year. It can be a decent living for some, but for others they might wish to pursue their nursing degree so that they can make more money.
If you work full time in this profession, you will usually start out at a one-week paid vacation per year. It will then lead to more, the longer your duration with the establishment you work for.
There are many places that will hire someone one and train them to be a nurse’s aide. Other institutions require a certificate. The certificate does not take long to acquire and will ensure a person to be employable for a nurse’s aide position in almost any establishment.
If you want to be a nurse’s aide, you first must have immense patience and compassion. You need to also be able to lift people and heavier items and be able to perform physical duties that might not necessary be part of other jobs. You must not mind wearing a uniform because all nurse’s aide’s must wear them.
Being an instrumental part in the medical field is very important. In order to see myself in this field in the future, I would educate myself to the level of nurse or doctor (practitioner) to help to continue to improve the quality of life for other people.
JustJobs.com is a job search engine that finds job listings from company career pages, other job boards, newspapers and associations. With one search, they help you find the job with your name on it. Read more » articles by this approved business partner | Click here » if you’re a business Nurse's aide image from Shutterstock
