Happy Thanksgiving to all my American colleagues. I wish you all a very special day with your family and friends.
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I get asked the same question from job seekers this time of year. "Isn't the holiday season a bad time for job hunting? Shouldn't I just wait until January"? My answer is always the same; "No, keep looking". Here's why.
1. Since it's a common misconception that December is a bad time of year, many people stop looking. That reduces your competition! 2. Many companies are on a calendar year for budgets, meaning new positions have been budgeted for, and may be opening, early in the new year. That means they will be recruiting now. 3. Imagine how diligent you'll look continuing your search while most people take the month off. 4. Work is slower during the holidays and many people stay close to home, so hiring managers will be easier to reach for those all important informational interviews. 5. It's a great time to network! You're going to be socializing anyway, so use the opportunity to spread the word about your job search and seek opportunities to connect, or reconnect, with others. 6. You'll keep your momentum up and running. Taking time off means you've got to ramp up all over again in January. Keep it up, keep moving ahead, keep connecting. You'll stand out from the crowd and land a job sooner than the rest! LinkedIn is THE recruiting tool these days. If you are looking for a new job, you MUST learn the secrets of LinkedIn to make the process easier.
If you haven't polished your profile and optimized your usage, you're missing out on great opportunities for being discovered for your next great job. Have the recruiters coming to you instead of you chasing after them. Step 1: Of course, you have to have a great product (you and your experience). Create a profile that shines and illustrates all you have to offer - not just a list of responsibilities. Include awards, publications, presentations, projects, media. Step 2: Build your network. The more people you are connected to, the more people will have a chance of seeing your profile. Step 3: Learn HOW to use LinkedIn. Be active in it, be social. Say Happy Birthday or Congratulations to your connections. Step 4: Every keystroke is collected to tell the database what kind of job you're looking for. Use it wisely. Doing so will have recruiters finding you in their searches, contacting you, and offering you great new opportunities. Helping people with this aspect of the job search is one of my favorite things. Recently, I helped someone revise her resume and update her profile. Within a week, she had 10 interviews set up. Convinced yet? |
AuthorAndrea Cole Archives
January 2015
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