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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Your "big picture," the overall plan you create for you and your business is made up of many parts. They need to make sense for you and most importantly need to be working together.
Here are six key areas that should be reviewed in determining if in fact your big picture is working.
1. The current business environment.
Make sure you are up to date on everything that is going on in your industry, market and community. Now is not the time to be laying low or hanging back. Subscribe to some key newsletters, bookmark key websites and stay in touch with other people in your business in other parts of the country.
2. The relevance of your skills and how you deliver your business.
Do you need to brush up on word, PowerPoint or integrate a new software or program to make your business and communications more effective and streamlined? There are online and local resources to do just that and some of them are FREE or very low cost. Never put a price tag on investing in your professional or business success, just make sure it is what you need and you use trusted vendors.
3. The marketability and bank-ability of your product/service.
Is what you do and what you offer still as relevant now as it was a year ago? Make sure you ask your customers how you can best serve and deliver your products and services. There are numerous examples of very successful companies that hit a trend that played it’s course and didn’t proactively evolve or change to meet customers needs. Are all your products and services still profitable and making money?
4. Your sales strategy and approach.
"We’re all in sales" today from the first entry point to the last. Investing in some simple sales training is a very good skill to invest in especially today. Serving is the new selling has become a popular mantra for today’s business. How do you like to be sold? Transactionally or relationally? Check out the ZapposInsights.com site to learn more about how their core values create their company culture and they "wow" with their customer service and sales.
5. Your overall marketing plan.
How are you attracting people to you, finding your best targeted customers and developing deeper, stronger relationships? This is a very tall order today but essential for sustaining business success. It starts with your brand, branding, mission, message, website, blog. Make sure that all your marketing materials are current and saying exactly what you want them to be saying. Do people know what you do? Review, update, focus, change, adapt to the current conditions and see where the trends are pointing to. Go there, don’t wait. Get some business counseling or coaching. Freshen up your logo, slogan, business card, website, rack card.
6. Your online and offline networking.
If you are not out there, sharing your smart, fun, authentic self both online and in person you can become "bottom of mind" really fast. The new world of communication and work requires that you engage, connect, give, share. Get on or take your involvement on the social platforms to the next level and start using them more. We live work and play online and in person now. Ramp up on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, chambers, meet-ups, professional organizations, networking groups: all important and viable options to grow your brand reach and impact.
I write a lot about the "entrepreneurial mindset” and “success mindset” because developing and refining this coveted quality and skill can really set you apart and accelerate your success.
Deborah Shane is an insightful Career Branding Specialist and a creative Social Media Marketing Consultant, who guides and motivates people through their current career transitions and professional empowerment at DeborahShane.com.Read more » articles by this approved career expert | Click here » if you’re a career expert Big picture image from Shutterstock
