Continuing Your Job Search During the Holidays

It's the holiday season, so your to-do list is likely a mile long. If you're looking for a job, you're facing additional stress. Even if you can afford to put your search on hold until January, it's a bad idea. Why? Employers are still filling positions. While it's true that some companies will freeze hiring until the New Year, there are some businesses that need to hire before December 31st to avoid losing a position for budget reasons. You'll also face far less competition since many job hunters will be giving into their urge to take the month off.

But how do you squeeze in extra time to look for a job when there's so much else to do? Here are a few tips that will help you get a head start on your 2020 job search.

Set Daily Goals

No matter how packed your to-do list is, there's always room to squeeze an extra half hour in. Put your job search first each day, setting the goal to find and take action on a small number of job opportunities. Even if it's only one attempt per day, that will be 20 tries you wouldn't have otherwise attempted by the time the ball drops on New Year's Eve.

Find Networking Opportunities

The best thing about the holiday season is the amount of face time you get with others. There will likely be no shortage of get togethers in your area, whether it's an open house held by the Chamber of Commerce or a holiday party for an organization you've been considering joining. Even networking groups that meet regularly will often have a more casual, social-oriented meeting in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Show up with business cards in hand and be prepared to make some valuable connections.

Plan Your Post-Holiday Activities

When all else fails, plan. If you've sent out resumes and reached out to your network on LinkedIn , spend the last weeks of the year planning. You'll be ready to hit the ground running once everyone's returned to work in early January. Polish your resume, buy a new interview outfit during the holiday sales, or just map out an action plan.

The holiday season doesn't have to mean putting your career aspirations on hold. If you have a master plan and organize your efforts, you can continue your job search through the busiest month of the year. You may even end the year with a great new position working for your dream employer.