Searching for a New Job at the End of the Year

The end of 2019 is coming rapidly to a close. You’ve probably already spent some time reflecting on everything that’s transpired in the office, and away from it. Last week you were thankful for everything that’s good in your life. Family, friends, a roof over your head, etc. While you’re still thankful, you’re beginning to look at where you’re at and, where you want to go in the future. Maybe it’s time for a new job or even a career change. The good news is that this is the best time of year to look for a new job if you’re going to take the step. By no means do you have to quit your current job. But, what’s wrong with keeping your eyes open for another opportunity? In this article, we discuss some important things to keep in mind during your job search at the end of the year.

Know What You Want

Just like any time you’re searching for a new job, it’s important to be specific about what you’re looking for. If you want to start a new job at the beginning of the year, you need to narrowly define your search ahead of time. In short, that work needs to be done in November and December.

It’s easy to think that keeping all your options open is the best strategy. However, it’s quite the opposite. When you make known exactly what you’re looking for, you narrow the focus of recruiters, your network and family too. Instead of bombarding you with opportunities that sound like they might fit, they can be on the lookout for the types of jobs you’re genuinely after.

One helpful strategy is to create a list of job titles, positions and companies you’re most interested in. And, by all means, share it with the people you trust! After all, they want to help and see you succeed.

Networking

There’s no better time of year to grow your network than late in the year. Between company parties, holiday get-togethers with colleagues and friends, and people visiting from out of town, you’re going to see a lot of faces in a narrow window of time.

Even though hiring practices slow down at the end of the year, that doesn’t mean you should slow down your job search. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Hiring managers and recruiters often have lighter workloads. When that’s the case, they’re left with more time to schedule meetings and have conversations about your goals.

As is true with networking at any time, you should focus on building meaningful connections. Sure, it’s okay to make it known that you’re on the hunt for something new. However, there will be plenty of time to send in your resume and discuss nuts and bolts once the holidays have come and gone. The truth remains, people hire and work with people they like. So, make those first impressions count and build genuine connections.

Take Posted Jobs Seriously

Whenever you see a job posted online, the question always becomes if it’s worth your time. All too often, jobs are posted for reasons of compliance or, the position has already been filled. That’s not usually the case late in the year, though. Again, November and December are usually slow for hiring. That means if a job is posted, there’s a high likelihood it’s legitimate and worth checking out.

It’s easy to get lazy with your job search this time of year. After all, there are going to be fewer postings, and that can get discouraging. If you make it a habit to set a little time aside to look each day however, you’re bound to come across something worth looking into eventually.

The holidays are filled with all sorts of distractions. There’s planning events, preparing for a menagerie of visitors at Thanksgiving and Christmas, shopping for everyone, maybe even traveling yourself. This time of year is also one of reflection. It just might be the time the you decide to start looking for a new opportunity. If you’re proactive about your search though, you just might find yourself in an exciting new position at the beginning of the year while everybody else is only starting the process.