8 Reasons To Continue Your Job Search During The Holidays

Photo by Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash

It is the last month of the year where most people will be rushing to finish up work before the holidays, clearing their annual leaves, kick back and relax until a new year begins again. 

As a job seeker, don't stop just yet. Right now, it can be the best time for you to continue with your job hunting. You may even come across opportunities that other job seekers will not get throughout the rest of the year.

Here are 8 reasons why it is an excellent idea to keep the job hunting spirit high during this holiday season.

1. Companies are hiring all year-round

Commonly, December is the month where everyone rushes to clear their annual leaves. Unlike any other departments, this could be the busiest time of the year for the recruitment team. Some employers may be looking to fill open positions to start the new year with a full force. Others could be hurrying to fill vacancies or risk losing the budget to hire new headcounts for the following year. However, due to the holiday period, recruiters often face difficulties finding candidates who are open to exploring a new career.  

Instead of joining the crowd and relax on your job search, take a different approach this month. You might find yourself a new career and help make the season bright for our fellow recruiters.

2. Time to give your professional profile an upgrade

Year-end is a time for reflection and preparation for a new beginning. Before you jump into preparing your new year's resolution (if it is still a thing), consider giving your professional profile a facelift first. 

Consolidate the skills, projects, and experience you have gained throughout the year and put them in your CV. It is always a good practice to keep your resume up-to-date every few months, even if you have no intention of changing your job. A Malay proverb Malaysians are familiar with, which directly translates into 'Prepare your umbrella before it rains'. You want to have your resume ready because a good career opportunity can appear at any time.

While you are at it, don't forget to update your online professional profile as well. Perhaps it could also be time to update your year-old (or longer) profile picture. It is always nice to let the hiring manager or recruiters know how you look currently. A virtual first impression still counts.

3. There will be less competition

Which also means it is your time to shine! Take the opportunity to apply to as many openings as possible. As there will be fewer job seekers applying, it also means that there is a higher chance your resume will land on the top of the pile. 

When it comes to interviewing schedule, you have more time slots to choose from. If you are lucky, you may even score a more extended interview time with your hiring manager. That aside, you are also likely to get a shorter waiting time after the interview. 

4. The mood is more relaxed

Naturally, businesses slow down during this time of the year unless you are in retail or food and beverage. Most organisations would have completed their business planning for the new year and preparing for a wind-down before it picks up again in a month.

The schedule of a hiring manager will be freer by now, allowing more quality time to be spent on candidate interviews. On top of that, they are likely to be in a cheerful holiday mood. Although it may not guarantee you a job, it is always wise to prepare well for your interview. Possibly you will get to squeeze in a few more questions about the work culture and learn more about his or her leadership qualities.

5. Most companies will have their 2021's budget ready

By this time, most organisations would have finished their calendar year. With their year-end budget closed, organisations will now confirm their new one for the upcoming year. It gives them insights on whether they can afford to pay new hires and identify where to fill in staffing gaps left throughout the past year.

To your advantage, you can negotiate for a higher salary as the hiring manager can share with you on the spot if they can or not meet your salary expectations.

6. Seasonal or part-time jobs potentially become your permanent

Several industries, including transportation/ logistics and e-commerce/ online retail, have been actively hiring throughout the year despite the ongoing pandemic. And hiring is possible to continue to peak during this season for year-end or clearance sale campaigns. For most people who will be celebrating the holidays at home due to overseas travel restrictions, we may also be seeing a peak in delivery services.

Reconnect with your trusted recruiters, and start seeking part-time or contract jobs via online job boards. Search for jobs that are aligned with your interest or will help you build the right skills to achieve your career goals. Commonly, employers will retain several high performing part-time staffs and turn them into full-timers later.  

7. An opportunity to earn extra money

It never hurts to earn a few extra bucks to spend on the holidays. And typically, employers will increase the pay for seasonal jobs by a triple to attract more part-time workers. 

If you are lucky to win your desired job this season, you will earn yourself the peace of mind having to restart the job hunting process all over again in January.

8. Give back to your community

We get time off from work, but not the community who needs help and care. Community workers have dedicated their services throughout the year, and some will want time off to care for their own family. This could be the time for you to step in.

Volunteering opportunities are abundant during the holidays, and various organisations will need an extra helping hand. Use this time to learn about the types of organisations and the help that you can give. While helping others, you might even get to network with other volunteers and meet your potential future employer. Furthermore, you can add-in your valuable experience and skills to your resume.

Don't let your effort go to waste. Finding a new job can be exhausting, but there are multiple ways to make it exciting and worthwhile. As long as you don't give up, the opportunity will soon come to you. If you find yourself in need of some help, reach out to us. Visit our career page to check out the latest job openings we have. Alternatively, you can submit your updated resume here. We care and are ready to help you! Happy holidays to all!