From now through New Years calendars become filled with a combination of merriment, preparing for merriment and counting the days until we get a few days off from work.
It’s natural that many consider this the ideal time to hit “pause” on the job search.
While the inclination to hit the brakes is natural, it is based on misinformation stemming from career myths. Here’s why a plan to resume your search in January may hurt you.
MYTH ONE: No One Hires During the Holidays
TRUTH: The doors of business don’t close because the calendar is filled with national and religious holidays. Companies still conduct layoffs, people still quit, retire and move on. THERE ARE ALWAYS JOBS.
MYTH TWO: The Coffers are Empty for Hiring until the New Year
TRUTH: Not all decisions are put on hold till after January 1. In fact, many budgeted funds are “use it or lose it” which means if a position is available in 2015 hiring managers are more eager than ever to fill it ASAP in case funding dries up in 2016.
TRUTH ONE: A Holiday Job Hunt Can Improve Your Odds
The reality is that many do, in fact, opt out of the job hunt during the holidays. This means the competition pool is smaller – making it easier than ever to stand out.
TRUTH TWO: Holiday Career Prep Puts You Ahead of the New Year Crowd
Getting your resume and LinkedIn profile ready to roll for a 2016 job hunt will not happen overnight.
From start to finish it may take a few weeks to a month before your career documents are ready for circulation and publication.
Documents ready in December, however, mean you’ll be ready to hit the ground running January 1 – way ahead of those who opted to wait to kick start their job search.
Wouldn’t you rather be ahead of the game?