5 Reasons You Should Continue Job Hunting During the Holiday Season

Are you currently looking for a new job? Do you think it is a waste to do so during the holiday season? If you have decided to halt your job search efforts because Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve are around the corner, you‘ve got it all wrong.

While many job seekers think that employers are too busy during the holiday season to hire new staff, often the opposite is true. The chances of getting hired are bright and the options are many.

Here are a few reasons why job hunting during the holiday season can be a good idea:

1. Companies are preparing for the New Year

As the year comes to a close, many companies are focused on finalizing their business and budget goals for the New Year and this often includes increasing the job force.

Many employers have these “use it or lose it” budgets that have to be used up before the end of the calendar year or they may need to increase their staff before the year ends for tax purposes, meaning January may be too late.

2. Networking opportunities are plentiful

The holidays are a social time and there will be plenty of opportunities for job seekers to reconnect with former colleagues and make a ton of new professional connections.

If you aren’t a member of any networking groups, now is a great time to join one or attend an event. If you aren’t sure where to start you can try Googling networking events + your location + holidays and see what is available in your area.

3. Competition is scarce

In the holiday season, the competition slows down which, in turn, increases the probability of getting a job. During the holidays the competition reduces, so if a post was unavailable earlier might be available at this point in time. Hence do not wait for the beginning of the year, because January will bring in the flood of candidates competing for the same job.

4. Recruiters are hiring

People are generally not aware of this, and thus they choose not to search during the break. The usual searching pattern of a recruiter for good positions happens in the holiday season. They conduct interviews during the last two months of the year, and keep the joining date later.

5.  Seasonal jobs

While it’s obviously not ideal, taking on a seasonal temp job at a company is a good way to get your foot in the door. During the winter rush, many industries (particularly retail, hospitality and other goods and services industries) hire on new staff to help for a month or two. What’s more, many regular  employees are taking vacations, so those slots also need to be filled up with temporary staff. This can be your opportunity to get your foot in the door with a company/industry of interest and, if you make a lasting impression, you may be able to turn the temporary job into a permanent one too.

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