With Thanksgiving just around the corner and holiday decorations already out on store shelves, you may find yourself wondering what you can do during the holiday break to continue your job search process. Whether you are seeking a summer internship, part-time job for the school year or that first full-time job when you graduate in May, below are some tips to help you get ahead this holiday season!
1. Networking at Holiday Parties
Be Conservative: You are trying to impress potential employers and colleagues. Avoid revealing or questionable clothing and limit your alcohol consumption.
Be Casual: Being overly aggressive about getting employment information will turn people away. As you meet new people, the topic of employment will eventually come up, and you can casually mention your job search.
Be Prepared: As a job hunter, you should always have business cards with you!
2. Sending Holiday Cards With a Purpose
It may seem a bit cheesy, but holiday cards are a fantastic and easy way to get the attention of an employer or recruiter. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Avoid holiday specific cards. As a matter of professional courtesy and respect for religious diversity, use cards with generic messages like “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” .
Do not send cards to people you have not corresponded with. The real advantage of sending a card is that is serves as an unimposing reminder to people with whom you have interviewed or discussed work.
3. Working Around Vacation Schedules
During the Holidays, people go on vacations, schedules become tight, and open time slots vanish; however people have not stopped hiring.
The early bird catches the worm. If you contact a recruiter earlier in the holiday season, they will have more available time periods in their schedule. In additions, you never know when a recruiter may unexpectedly be available so be prepared for a call at anytime.
Hold back on your own vacation. If other job seekers are not available during the holidays and you are, you stand a much better shot at landing a job.
4. Beating the Holiday Blues
Create a holiday schedule. Schedules allow you to allocate time for constructive job-hunting activities and set aside time for relaxation or holiday celebrations.
‘Tis the season to give. Volunteering opportunities during the holiday are numerous. Helping others can give you a sense of pride and more experience for your resume. You will also get to network with other people in the community!
* Information adapted from an EOE journal article
by Nathan Newberger
-Courtney H
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