Top 8 Reasons to Job Hunt During the Holidays

Many job seekers take a break from the job hunt during the holidays. It’s a hectic time of year, and it can be a challenge to juggle getting ready for the holidays with keeping a job search moving forward. But, that may be a mistake – read on to learn why you should keep up your job search during the holidays.

Contrary to what you might think, hiring doesn’t stop during the holiday season. Employers hire when they need new employees. A slower holiday season for some businesses means more time for hiring. It can also mean less competition for available jobs because of the number of job seekers who do take a break from their job hunt.

Still not sure whether you should call it quits until the New Year? Here are some reasons to keep your job search going during the holiday season.

1. Employers are Hiring. Don’t think for a minute that companies aren’t hiring. Check the job boards, like Indeed, Monster, CareerBuilder, or Dice, and you will see thousands of available jobs that employers need to fill now. Be sure to check the leading job sites regularly, so you don’t miss out on job leads.

2. Less Competition for Available Jobs. Even though you might really need a new job, it can be hard to manage a job search when there are so many other things happening during the holidays. For some people, it’s easier to focus on the season than the job hunt. That’s fine, of course, but if you’re a juggler who can multi-task you’ll find less competition for jobs.

3. More Networking Opportunities. You couldn’t pick a better time of year for networking. There are many social and business holiday functions during November and December when you can connect with people who can help your job search. Not sure how to do it? Here are tips for holiday season networking when you’re job searching.

4. Salary and Benefits in Place for the New Year. It’s always good to start January with your life in order, if you can. Having your compensation set for the year not only helps pay the bills. It also helps with budgeting and tax planning.

5. A Temporary Job Could Become Permanent. If you are hired for a contract holiday season job, you might get to keep it. Companies typically keep some of the contract they hire for the holidays, and you could be one of them if you make a good impression on your employer.

6. Extra Money for the Holidays. If you get hired sooner than you expect, you will have extra money to spend for the holidays. You will also have the peace of mind of knowing that you have a job to go to. That will save some stress of worrying about having to start your job search over on January 1st.

7. Get a New Wardrobe. Shopping for yourself is always fun. It’s even better when you can take advantage of holiday sales and discounts. If you have a new job lined up, you can shop for a brand new wear-to-work wardrobe to start your position in style. If you’re on the job hunt, it’s a good time to pick up a new interview outfit or two on sale.

Hiring used to be seasonal. Now it’s on-demand. If a company decides that they need a new employee or if a current employee moves on, they won’t wait to start the hiring process. If you’re hiring ready, you’ll be positioned for job search success.