December has flown round again which means a busy month of festive activities, Christmas parties and plenty of shopping. While you may have a lot going on, did you know that December is also one of the best months to look for a new job?
Conducting your job search in December gives you a number of advantages.
Because December is such a busy month, many job seekers decide to put their job search on hold and plan to resume looking in the new year. However, if you can stay active at this time you will be able to stay ahead of your competition and hopefully get your foot in the door while there are a lot fewer applicants.
While there is a lull in job seeker activity in December, employers don’t stop looking for new hires. For those who run their budgets from January to December, they may have some extra money in the pot to spend on recruitment before the year is out.
Also, if you can get through the recruitment process in December, you’ll be ready to kick-start your new year with a fantastic new role!
Sticking without your job search throughout the festive season shows employers that you are tenacious and hard working. Most employers want to hire go-getters and they will appreciate your continued effort.
TOP TIP: Tenacity is good, but desperation is not. If you make too many calls or send a number of emails chasing up your application, you may cross the line and appear desperate which is not a desirable quality.
Discover 9 Job Search Actions That Make You Look Desperate
The holiday season offers plenty of opportunities for you to network. Attend holiday parties/events and connect with mentors or friends who work at companies you are interested in. If you have any old colleagues you haven’t seen in ages, see if they want to have a catch-up – you never know who will be able to help you find your next role.
Don’t over-do the networking by handing out business cards under the mistletoe. Keep things social as a top priority, chat with plenty of people and if you think anyone may be able to help make a mental note to follow up with them later.
You may be surprised to hear that many people choose to quit their job in December and start something new next year. Sometimes they hold out to receive their Christmas bonus, or simply decide they want a change for the new year, either way, this means there are some open vacancies up for grabs!
You may have thought it would be best to pause your job search this December, but perhaps you should be putting your foot on the accelerator instead. For more job search advice take a look at our “All I want for Christmas is a new job” advent calendar.
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