The Hunt

The holiday season is just getting started, and you’re probably looking at your job search a little bit differently. In the final month before the new year, you might be tempted to slow down your hunt, take some extra time off, relax, refresh, and start strong in January. But if you did that, you would be missing out on one of the best times of the year to look for a sales job. Follow these three tips to help you make the most of your holiday season search.

Ramp Up Your Efforts

December is a strange month for most businesses — they either get extremely busy, or slow down significantly. But in either case, they are still recruiting. No business can afford to take a full month off when they need to add staff. Instead of slowing down between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, keep going steadily. December is actually a great time to get a job offer, because when most people scale back their job search the pool of available candidates shrinks significantly. Automatically, you face less competition and have a better chance of standing out.

Work Around the Employer

Chaotic holiday schedules and frequent travel make this an especially hard time to set appointments. If you get called in for an interview, be aware that it might be for the same day, at an odd hour, in an unexpected location, or very close to the end of the month. You may have your own holiday plans, but try to be as flexible as possible and work around the employer’s schedule, or to wait a while if necessary. Also, prepare for the possibility that you will be brought in immediately to help on an end-of-the-year sale, or asked to wait a week or month into January to get started.

Get Out and Be Social

Calendars fill up quickly around the holiday season. Use all the family gatherings, holiday parties, friend meetups, and wintertime outings as an opportunity to network. You will make a lot of connections during December, and it only takes one to land your next job. Don’t let your networking efforts overshadow any holiday fun, but at the same time make it known that you’re looking for a job, and keep your eyes and ears out for any promising contacts.

Improve your job search during the holiday season and during any season by working with Artemis Consultants.