Hire Power

Even with a struggling economy, companies realize that their employees are in need of some holiday cheer. This year bosses are handing out more bonuses and gifts than ever before. In fact, according to a CareerBuilder survey, “40% of employers plan to give their employees holiday bonuses this year, up from 33% in 2010.”

Has your job search slowed during the holiday season? Just because the hiring manager isn’t getting back to you doesn’t mean you should give up the search. Try using this downtime to study up on companies you might be interested in and set your sights on starting a new job in 2012!

Just because it’s the holiday season doesn’t mean you should take a break from your job search. In fact, this is the time that could set you apart from everyone else. While company budgets may have run dry by this time of year, they are often ready to start spending again come the New Year. As fewer candidates are submitting their resumes during the holidays, your chances of being noticed are tremendously increased. 

With the holidays fast approaching, many job seekers may be thinking about “taking a break” and putting their job search on hold until after the first of the year, since “no one is hiring right now anyways”.  Wrong!  Don’t be one of those people!  The holiday season offers a great opportunity to expand your network and make valuable contacts that can assist in securing your next position.  There are numerous social events that offer an excellent and informal opportunity to meet people that may be in a position to help you in your search.  Your spouse’s employer, your professional organization, community and volunteer groups, your church or place of worship, your vendors, your customers, your college, fraternity and alumni groups are just a few examples of organizations that often have year end holiday parties or get togethers.  Take advantage of these opportunities to meet new people, share ideas and leads, and make contacts.  Experts agree that 75-80% of jobs are unadvertised and located through networking.