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Don't Put Your Job Hunt On Hold for the Holidays
By PERRI CAPELL, From Careerjournal.com
Question: What advice do you have about how
to approach the job market during the holiday season?
Answer: It's a myth that hiring slows down
between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Many offers are made during the
holiday season as managers try to fill jobs before their budgets expire.
"Not only don't things slow down in December, but
there's a sense of urgency to fill jobs in many cases," says Tim Jones,
vice president of human resources for Ixia, a communications technology
test systems maker based in Calabasas, Calif.
Even though you may have heard otherwise, don't drop out
of the market over the holidays. By staying active, you'll have an
advantage over candidates who think nothing happens in December and who
take a break until January.
"A lot of people do halt their searches at this time, so
continuing to look might give you a leg up," says Rich Gee, an executive
career coach in Stamford, Conn.
Mr. Gee, a corporate executive for two decades, notes
that in December, managers want to spend their current year budgets so
they don't lose funds in subsequent years. This gives them a strong
incentive to find candidates to fill approved openings. Most executives
also know their budgets for 2008 and may want to get a head start on
filling newly requisitioned openings. Some may have pre-set performance
objectives requiring them to fill a certain number of jobs by year-end,
Mr. Jones adds.
"We in the staffing business see managers motivated to
hire by a couple of things, and one is the need to hurry up and hire
before they lose the budget," he says. "The other is being committed to
an objective that says they need to hire people before the end of the
year."
The urgency may result in an extra benefit: companies
may ease up slightly on their requirements to fill openings, says Mark
Jaffe, a principal with Wyatt & Jaffe, a Minneapolis-based search firm.
"It isn't a policy decision, but if you have limited time and have to
get things done, the process may suffer," he notes.
Although many candidates hired in December don't start
their new positions until January, it's possible you may have to give up
your days off around the holidays to begin work, says Mr. Gee. This
happens particularly in the retail, security, media or manufacturing
industries.
"If you were unemployed, you have already received an
unplanned 'vacation' and want to get back to work ASAP," says Mr. Gee.
"If you are moving from another company, that's the way the dice
tumble."
Hiring managers prefer to find candidates through
referrals or chance meetings, so they don't need to advertise or employ
recruiters to fill openings. Your goal as a job hunter should be to
personally meet as many potential employers as possible at this
pre-advertising stage. By meeting and talking with current and new
contacts, you may receive important referrals or an inside track on
potential opportunities.
The process is networking, of course. And it's easier to
do it during the holidays than at other times of the year because people
tend to be more open and relaxed than at other seasons. Many
organizations hold annual holiday events, and attendees often are
encouraged to bring guests. Ask friends or relatives to invite you to
December gatherings of such groups as the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary
Club or Toastmasters. Also attend meetings of professional groups in
your industry or function, neighborhood gatherings and church open
houses where you can mingle.
"People will have their guards down and be happy to meet
you, so take advantage of that," says Mr. Gee.
Be personable and interested in others and ask for their
business cards. Call new acquaintances after the meetings and ask for
their advice. Ask about their current professional or personal needs and
offer your expertise so your conversation isn't totally one-sided.
Hiring managers often like to be close to home and in
their offices in December. Conduct a targeted job search by researching
companies where you'd like to work and learning the name of the hiring
manager in your area, Mr. Gee suggests. Google their name on the
Internet and try to learn something about them professionally that you
can use as an ice-breaker. Call the person directly, mention what you
learned and say you would appreciate a few moments to ask questions
about their companies and upcoming needs. If the conversation goes well,
the manager may want to know more about you.
"This is harder to do and more work than job hunting
with a computer, but the payoff can be dramatic," says the career coach.
"If you can wow them with some information or just by being yourself,
they may be very interested."
-- Ms. Capell is a senior
correspondent for CollegeJournal.com. Have a question about job hunting
or career management? Write to careersqa@wsj.com with your first name
and the city where you're located, which we'll show if we answer and
post your question. Email your comments to
cjeditor@dowjones.com.
--November 29, 2007 |
