A message to all those 'New Year - New Job' resolution setters. What are you waiting for?
I’d always advise anyone thinking of their next move to get ahead of the competition, find a way of getting noticed. It's proven, those that listen, often come out on top.
Here are some key reasons as to why...
Ahead of the pack - In many cases, the lead up to the holiday season is the last push before a deserved break but if a vacancy has been left unfilled leading up to Christmas, it may easily mean that the recruiter/hiring manager faces that daunting prospect of being in the same position when the new year is rung in. Being that candidate who sets themselves apart from all those waiting January 1st before the resolutions kick in, means you could quite easily be front of the queue. Show an enthusiasm to be noticed and it may also aide your chances because a recruiter worth their salt will be just as willing to give you the chance to prove yourself before others show interest.
Quality not Quantity - Use the holiday season for a break too. Even if you are not working, it must be incredibly challenging to continually fill out on line application forms, play the waiting game, have the worry and stress of not having a job and so forth. But use your time wisely, stay focused on the priority task. Be disciplined with your applications make them specific to each role you are applying. While time with your family and friends is important, your career needs you right now. So make sure you are being specific when applying and stay proactive. When the crowd rush at the January job sales, you will hopefully already be at the ‘preparing for an interview stage’.
Stand out and create some momentum - Of course, this time of year means there is less activity likely to happen, but it doesn’t mean that nothing gets done. Getting your application in now, means you have much more of a chance of catching the eye of the hiring team or recruiter you are working with. Trust me, a stellar application over this period will work well in your favour. It also means you can focus on new roles that come live in January as well as already lining up potential interviews from your earlier applications.
Start your resolutions early - Finally, there will be a real sense of purpose and achievement in being pro active when it’s so easy not to be. A great way to end the year in pushing right until the very last moment and then it means you can bounce into the new year with great intentions. Just be sure to keep them up.
So what are you waiting for, keep up the search and if something catches your eye, go for it. Remember, Santa only ever employed pro active elves so make sure make the grade!
If it helps, it's been worth the read.
LM