Fact: The Holidays are here.
Fact: We ALL have more to do right now than we can handle.
Fact: Jobs ARE available out there.
Fact: Companies ARE hiring right now and will through the end of the year.
Fact: A LOT of job seekers are putting their job search process on hold till AFTER the first of the year.
Fact: Fewer people are ACTIVELY focused on their job search during the Holiday period.
OPPORTUNITY: The "doors are open" in the job marketplace for those people who choose to knock and take steps to enter.
The Holidays are NOT a time to set aside your job search activities. Those who do will be at a competitive disadvantage to those who stay active with their job search. Demands on our time definitely increase during this period, so it is VERY IMPORTANT that you leverage your time wisely .... focusing on the highest impact activities.
Time Commitment. An effective job search campaign should be considered "a full time job." If you are currently unemployed, then the 40 hours or so you'd normally spend working should be devoted to your job search. At a minimum, you should follow an "80/20" approach to your time commitment -- with 80% of your available time during the week devoted directly to your job search, and 20% focused on other important activities -- personal time, community activities, training, education, professional development, etc. Rest assured that your top competition in the job market is taking this approach -- without question.
High Impact Activities. When it comes to highest impact job search activities, I am finding that most job seekers are following AN "80/20 Rule" but definitely not THE "80/20 Rule." The Rule that many job seekers are following is spending 80% of their time on lower-impact activities -- "surfing" and responding to job board opportunities, posting their resume on line and connecting with executive search professionals; and 20% of their time on high impact activities -- networking and reaching out directly to leads and potential employers. The effective job seekers are doing just the opposite -- they're spending 80% OR MORE of their time on the high-impact, "human interaction" oriented activities, including:
- Talking to and meeting with their network contacts
- Attending and participating in networking functions
- Aggressively utilizing social media applications for network communication purposes (LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, among others)
- Identifying target companies and aggressively contacting those companies directly or through a referral from their network
- Scheduling daily phone calls, daily meetings and getting out and "shaking hands"
What percentage of your time are you dedicating to your job search?
What percentage of your job search time are you focusing on high impact activities?
Are you achieving the level of results you desire in your job search campaign?
Co-host, Career Success Radio Show
A leading authority on career success; 15-year executive coaching veteran
Contact: [email protected], 239-285-5575
You can read what my colleagues at The Career Collective
suggest for job searching during the Holiday Season here:
@MartinBuckland, Elite Resumes, “Season’s Greetings and your Job Search”
@GayleHoward, The Executive Brand, “It’s Christmas: And a ho-ho-ho-hum?”
@KCCareerCoach, Career Chaos, “The Gift Every Laid Off Job Seeker Needs”
@resumeservice, Resume Writing Blog,“Holiday Resume Sparkle: Outshine the New Year Job-Search Mob”
@heathermundell, life@work, “Have a Holly Jolly Job Search”
@sweetcareers, Sweet Careers, “Holiday Job Search Tips for College Students 2009″
@careersherpa, Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa, “Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Cheers”
@careerealism, CAREEREALISM.com, “Holiday Tip for Job Seekers: 4 Ways to Impress Others with Your Professionalism”
@heatherhuhman, HeatherHuhman.com, “4 Tips for Making the Most of Holiday Job Hunting”
@LaurieBerenson, Sterling Career Concepts, “Three Resolutions to Take It Up a Notch”
@KatCareerGal, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog, “Avoiding the Holiday Blues in Your Job Search”
@WorkWithIllness, WorkingWithillness.com, “Avoid this Minefield: No Holiday Here!”
@DawnBugni, “The Write Solution Could that sound really be opportunity? During the Holidays?”
@andyinnaples, “Shift Your Focus to the Highest Impact Job Search Activities During the Holidays to Leverage Your Time”
@erinkennedycprw, Professional Resume Services, “How to keep up the Job Hunt during the Holidays”
@keppie_careers, Keppie Careers, “Four tips for effective networking follow-up for the holidays and the rest of the year”
@ValueIntoWords, Career Trend, “Navigating the Mistle Toe of Job Search”
@GLHoffman, What Would Dad Say, “Merry Christmas! Can I Buy You Coffee to Talk About Me?”
@BarbaraSafani, Career Solvers, “Holiday Networking Can Facilitate New Year Opportunities”
@expatcoachmegan, Career By Choice Blog, “Expat Networking: Holidays Are a Great Time to Nurture and Grow Your Network”
@chandlee, The Emerging Professional Blog, “Footprints & Associations: Job Search Tips for the Holidays”
@JobHuntOrg, Job-Hunt.org, "(Holiday) Party Your Way to a New Job"
Very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!!
Posted by: cctv karachi | October 19, 2011 at 03:52 AM