3 great reasons to job search over the holidays

If you’re tempted to take a Thanksgiving-through-New-Years break from your job search, you may want to rethink that plan.

It’s true that social calendars get outrageously overcrowded during this season—and it can seem like a good time to step away from your job search. However, at many businesses, calendars actually get lighter.  In fact, with many employees taking personal time off and many projects on a slow simmer, managers sometimes find themselves with more time than ever to devote to hiring.

Read on for three great reasons to take advantage of the holiday season for job hunting:

1) End-of year hiring is a real thing!

Not only do some hiring managers find themselves with time to review resumes and schedule interviews amidst the slower pace of December, they may also have annual hiring quotas they want to fill, or funds they need to spend. Instead of slacking off, maybe it’s time to ramp up your job search.

Insider tip: January is high turnover time in many companies—especially those who give year-end bonuses in December. Since many employers see that turnover coming, they often ramp up hiring efforts in December.

2 ) Your competition is likely taking it easy!

Lots of job seekers do relax their efforts from Mid-November through the end of the year—making it a prime time for you to stand out in front of potential employers.

Insider tip: Many employers will be impressed by your efforts when you continue your job search while others are relaxing over the holidays.

3)  Holiday gatherings were made for networking.

Whether your calendar is full of extended family dinners, cookie exchanges, holiday recitals, or cocktail hours, you’re more than likely to find yourself making small talk with people you don’t always see throughout the year.  What a great time to trot out your elevator speech!

Insider tip:  Even if you don’t have a calendar full of networking events, holiday season is a time of year when it’s common to get in touch with former colleagues and bosses, neighbors, professors, college roommates, and lots of other people you could network with!