Tuesday 1 December 2015

Job hunting over Christmas...should you bother?





So, you have cancelled Christmas and told everyone not to buy you any presents because you cannot afford to give them back in return and you are not sending cards as you can’t afford the stamps and rather than be the poor relation at the feast, you think you may stay home with a microwave dinner and the telly ...assuming that is you still have a home.

Should you bother to carry on looking for a job? Well, one reality is that if you are on certain state benefits such as Job Seekers Allowance in the UK   you have no choice in the matter and will be expected to continue your search for jobs and make applications, or you will find when next you go to get that £10 out of the bank that you are sanctioned and no money has gone in, but there are advantages to keeping up your job search at this time of the year.

Companies will of course be a little pre- occupied at Christmas with deadlines to meet and partying, so things will be a little quiet, though do not suppose by this that there aren't any jobs out there therefore it’s not worth bothering. To the contrary, very often managers need to put employees in post ready for the new year. Just like the period leading up to the summer holidays it is often a good time for your job search.

This means you should use your time to re-focus on your career search, getting ready to be in a strong position once the new year arrives. still send your CV to advertised jobs and employers, it’s a quiet time and they could even have longer to study it than usual.

Evaluate your CV…  does it need any updates or changes? Check out sites for free CV reviews, and post that CV to as many as possible for a free professional opinion.

Check wherever your CV is already, on which job boards it is posted and take it off, then repost it, as this keeps it nearer the top of the pile. You may quite likely have placed your CV on a website, or several, some years past and not looked since. If you are not looking at it, then neither are the employers!!!

Be sure that you know how to make a generic CV adaptable for every post you apply for.

Explore....

Rather than just applying by sending your CV to publicized jobs, take advantage of things being a little quieter and check out firms. Yell is a decent business listing., also Google business directories in the area where you live

If you have services you can use to make money and are in the process of trying to become self-employed, then use free business listings to advertise yourself.

Master the art of Social networking

You are in all probability on Facebook already, however there's a lot more to it than pictures of cats and commenting to your mates on everything you are doing and every place you go.


If you do not have a LinkedIn profile...go to the site and get started. Do not be fearful of LinkedIn. Several employers go straight to a candidates LinkedIn profile on seeing their CV, and you need to be there. Google Employment social networking sites too for alternative helpful suggestions.

Circulate… Take advantage of New Year parties to let people know that you are looking for a job, but don't bore them...it is a party, so be able to talk about other things too.

Benefit from the Christmas break

Get yourself into a strong, work ready place, research courses, on-line free ones if cash is tight and you cannot afford college courses, see what's free on-line. Check out and start using a system to record your job applications and responses and..... when it comes …don’t be a misery ….
Enjoy the break!!!!

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