Holiday Job Search Tips

[Wednesday, December 15, 2010]

by Carolyn Thompson

For professionals seeking employment at any level, the holidays shouldn't be the time when they put their job search on hold 'till the new year. We hear many people saying, "I'll get started after the first of the year." What this means to active job seekers is less competition in the market with approximately the same number of jobs available.

"Now is the time when dedicated job seekers will see a thinning in the ranks," said careers expert Carolyn Thompson, "and it's a great opportunity to continue as strong as ever applying for positions that companies will need to fill in January 2011."

A survey recently conducted by Dixon Hughes Goodman of national job boards supports the idea of looking for a job during the holidays as it increases your odds of being chosen for an interview. Approximately 12% fewer people were actively searching in December of last year with only a 6.5% decrease in the number of new jobs posted compared to the remainder of the year. January boasts the largest number of job seekers online for the entire year with over 10% more people actively searching than an average month, which is nearly 25% more than were searching in December. The number of newly posted positions remains about the same from December to January with approximately a 10% uptick in February.

Many companies are scrambling to fill professional jobs over the holidays so their new employees can start in January well rested after a holiday break. The holidays are also a great time to network at a variety of seasonal social events. Remember, maximizing holiday cheer may lead to new job opportunities in the New Year.

Carolyn Thompson is Director of the Metro DC region of Dixon Hughes Goodman's Human Resource Services Division. She is frequently called upon by national news organizations such as The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, and MSNBC among others to contribute content on a variety of topics. She regularly donates her time as a volunteer speaker for resume workshops and job fairs across the nation, and is a member of the National Speaker's Association. Carolyn is also the author of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME and TEN STEPS TO FINDING THE PERFECT JOB, and TEN SECRETS TO GETTING PROMOTED, now available in select bookstores and on Amazon.com. Dixon Hughes Goodman's Human Resource Services Division can provide complete human resource management services, training and employee development programs, specialized recruiting, executive search and outplacement services.

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