The Jobs Under the Mistletoe

 

I'm honored to be a member of the Career Collective, a community of bloggers who share thoughts on a common topic. Up this month: Common misconceptions about the job search. You can read all of my colleagues thoughts through the link below, here's my take on this theme.

There's a huge assumption that no hiring happens in companies between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. Some may think that when the tree in Rockefeller Center gets lit, the hiring game for the year is over.

But in reality, December may actually be the best time to get in the game--or increase your efforts. (In fact, last December, physicians offices increased hiring by over 9,000 positions.)

Here are three reasons why you may want to search for work instead of a kiss under the mistletoe:

1. Employers are still looking for hires in December. When I worked as a recruiter for a small company, I extended a job offer for a new Sales Manager on Christmas Eve. The reason: We needed someone who could start immediately in the New Year. Business needs don't go on the back burner because of holiday parties and merriment.

In fact, many organizations are especially motivated to hire in December--even more so than they will be in January. There's no set date for how organizations their fiscal years--a college may have a fiscal year that runs July 1 to June 30; other organizations have fiscal years that run from January 1 to December 31. Internally, there's frequently a "use it or lose it" mentality when it comes to spending and hiring. In other words, if someone gets permission to hire in December--they may have to hire in December, or they'll lose the funding for the job come January. This may sound silly, but it happens.

2. You'll have less competition. August is one of the most popular times to take a vacation, and September sees a huge bump in job applications; there's a perennial similar trend every December and January. Anticipate a great deal of New Year's job search resolutions from your peers and fellow applicants.

Apply when your fellow job seekers are taking a breather from the job search, and you have a better chance of standing out in the applicant pool. As one of my recruiting friends recently told me, "When I hire, I rarely go back to applications received after application deadline--or I've received a number of applications. I pick from the pool that I already have. I don't look back." (In other words, don't assume a job listed in December will be there in January.)

3. As almost any employment survey will tell you, networking and employee referrals are frequently a fast track to new opportunities--especially for non-entry level jobs. Offering to employ someone full time after only a few meetings is a big commitment--and many employers prefer to make an offer to someone who comes recommended by others.

Holiday parties are a natural place to make these connections. Or to make a call and reach out to someone you've always wanted to get to know--and ask for a coffee date. (After all, December can be a quiet time at some offices.)

So get out there, and make some new friends under that mistletoe. It may lead to your next opportunity or give you a fresh perspective.

And if you'd like to learn about a few other misconceptions before you start, here are thoughts from my colleagues:

• 5 Misconceptions Entry-Level Job Seekers Make, @heatherhuhman
• How "Interview Savvy" Are You?, @careersherpa
• Employers Don't "Care", @ValueIntoWords
• Misconceptions about Using Recruiters, @DebraWheatman
• 15 Myths and Misconceptions about Job-Hunting, @KatCareerGal
• Are You Boring HR? @resumeservice
• Job Search Misconceptions Put Right, @GayleHoward
• Who Cares About What You Want in a Job? Only YOU!, @KCCareerCoach
• How to get your resume read (sort of), @barbarasafani
• The 4 secrets to an effective recruiter relationship, @LaurieBerenson
• Job Interviews, Chronic Illness and 3 Big Ideas, @WorkWithIllness
• The secret to effective job search, @Keppie_Careers
• Superstars Need Not Apply, @WalterAkana
• The Jobs Under the Mistletoe, @chandlee
• 8 Common Sense Interview Tips @erinkennedycprw
• Still no job interview? @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
• Misconceptions about the Hiring Process: Your Online Identity is a Critical Part of Getting Hired, @expatcoachmegan

Comments

[Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, Master Resume Writer]

Excellent tips and overall message, Chandlee! Definitely, employers "are still looking for hires in December!" The economy, and business, doesn't suddenly grind to a halt because there are holidays.

Your point about companies having motivation to hire before Dec. 31 (because of fiscal year schedules) also resonates.

Bottom line, NOW is a good time to maintain job-search motivation and traction!

Cheers - and thanks for the pragmatic, energizing post!

Jacqui

[GL Hoffman]

Great tip.
This also fit for almost any company whose sales force tries this excuse on management.
It is actually a great time to make initial prospecting calls because no one else is working that hard during this time.

[Megan Fitzgerald]

Great tips Chandlee!

I always encourage clients to consider how they can take a seemingly negative situation and turn it into a positive - you've clearly done that here!

Capitalizing on good feelings and holiday cheer can only help to strengthen relationships critical to one's job search.

Happy Holidays!

Megan

[Martin Buckland]

Great article, a wake up call for so many uninformed job searchers!

The jobs search world is just as lively! Thanks for sharing.

[Miriam Salpeter, Keppie Careers]

It's so true -- I love this time of year for networking. Many people are in a good mood, some have slower seasons in the office, so there is more time for meeting for coffee, etc. And, we know that hiring doesn't stop (for all of the reasons you mentioned). Thanks for the contribution!

[Career Sherpa]

Chandlee:

Great reminders! Networking takes time and as you pointed out, so does the hiring process.

This month is a super time to lay the foundation, meet people and get ready for hiring that will happen in the near future.