'Tis The Season To Look For A New Job!

Should I look for a job between Thanksgiving and Christmas?
Absolutely!

At first glance, you may think that hiring managers are too busy for interviews amidst the fast-paced run-up to the holidays. But take a closer look: The end of the year could be one of the best times to get your résumé into the right hands at many companies.

Here’s why:

For companies and individuals alike, a new year means fresh opportunities. Many companies are angling to hire promising employees to help turn their expansion plans and innovative ideas into money-making realities.

Start-up ventures or firms that haven’t yet filled key positions may decide to start the new year with a full crew ready to work on January 1. Managers often need to spend unused portions of their budgets before the end of a calendar year, and hiring is a good way to ensure continued outlays in the upcoming budgetary process.

Professionals who have been thinking about a job change often quit right before the holidays to take an extra-long vacation before starting on a new job.

CPAs are gearing up for the tax season. They need to get good teams in place and up to speed before the April 15 rush.

National, divisional and regional sales teams analyze the success of their representatives at the end of the year. Their need to replace underperformers is your opportunity to flaunt your sales successes and become part of the team.

For many companies, the holidays are just like any other season: it’s business as usual in the human resources department. Those managers are going to fill their positions as quickly as the best candidate walks through their doors.

By some accounts, retail stores earn up to 70% of their annual sales and profits between October and December. But more sales mean a greater need for more sales associates, more customer service and call center representatives, more stockers, cashiers and even gift wrappers.

Bars, restaurants, and clubs host scores of office parties, gatherings with friends, and family celebrations. Mail centers need more staff to handle cards, packages and letters to Santa, while some seasonal stores, like tree farms and specialty holiday retailers, count on the Christmas season for a year’s worth of income.

Temporary agencies and offices need extra hands to fill in for their receptionists and secretaries on vacation. And even though seasonal jobs may be billed as temporary positions, hard work and reliability could pay off in a permanent job offer after the holiday rush is over.

It’s true, holiday hiring often begins before Thanksgiving, and retailers are reportedly hiring fewer seasonal workers this year. But plenty of jobs are still out there for the taking. With the national unemployment rate at a low 4.7% in October, reliable, quality workers are scarce. Companies may need to replace recent hires even before the season is over.

All of that holiday spending could mean lines at the banks for cash and loans. But bank hiring managers are doing all they can to have enough tellers, customer service representatives and other banking staff available to provide better service to customers.

Jobs may suddenly open up between Thanksgiving and the new year as family dynamics over the holidays provide the nudge needed for someone to leave a dead-end or unfulfilling job. Intimate conversations with relatives often emphasize desires to move back --or farther away-- from home, just as they can generate innovative ideas about career paths, job searches, and possibilities for the future.

A new year can mean management opportunities in the highly volatile restaurant and food service industry. Kitchen managers, front-of-the-house managers and chefs, after ensuring their employers’ survival during the busy holidays, often look for a change in the new year. Are you targeting a management position at a particular restaurant or fast food chain? Try filling in with a lesser role over the holidays. When a management position opens up, you’ll be well placed to apply for the job.

The bottom line when you’re thinking about beginning your job search at any time of the year is this: A company that didn’t have a position open yesterday might have an opening today. A good company is always on the lookout for good people.

So Thanksgiving is over, and Christmas is just around the corner. Pick your company, spruce up your résumé, and start looking for a new job!

For more information, contact Vicki at vickihidde@resume-source.com