Job searching through the holiday season often sounds unpleasant -- and it can be a challenge for even experienced job seekers to navigate. The holiday season presents many unique challenges, but also some benefits for those who are creative thinkers. It's not always wise to delay your job search until after the holiday season, especially if you're in a competitive or niche market.
It's All About Timing: Why the Holiday Job Search Can Be a Chore
From receptionists to human resources managers, everyone you interact with during your holiday job search is likely to be at least somewhat distracted. Holidays can be frustrating, stressful, or just plain eventful, and that can put you at a substantial detriment when you're trying to get them to feel positive about bringing you onboard. There are also far fewer job postings available during the holidays, and fewer time slots available for interviews. You may feel as though you're casting a net out into a void, only to get responses back once January rolls around. Holiday job searches are also difficult for practical reasons -- it's never fun to have to slog your way towards an interview looking your best even though there's an active snow storm.
But It's Not All Bad News: The Benefits of Searching through the Holidays
Job seekers aren't the only ones who dislike interviewing throughout the holidays. Businesses don't like it either. From small businesses to large enterprises, most organizations are likely to put off their employee searches until the next year. The positions that are open during the holidays, then, are critical positions that need to be filled as soon as possible. You can get a jumpstart on these positions by applying now. Employers are also going to be pulling from a reduced pool of candidates, simply because so many candidates will be putting off their job searches until after the holidays.
Finally, holidays give some interesting opportunities for candidates to differentiate themselves from others. Thoughtful holiday cards, or a small gift for the office, can go a long way towards showing that a candidate is a team player while not crossing any professional boundaries.
Any time can be considered a good time for a job search, depending on what you're looking for and what your ultimate career goals are. Though the holiday season may not seem like the optimal time, it actually represents a significant amount of opportunity. Those who are willing to brave the additional challenges of the holidays may find that their courage is rewarded. If you want to find out more about getting the perfect job, contact OneTech Engineering today.