Why The Holidays Are A Great Time To Look For A New Job

We're right in the swing of the holiday silly season and it’s easy to get distracted by all the festivities going on around you and for many jobseekers, job searches across the globe will get put on the back burner. 

With many Aussies waiting until after Christmas to start their job search and commit to their resolution of finding a new job, those who get in early stand out in a smaller candidate pool. There are plenty of other good reasons to start now instead of waiting until the New Year. 

We've rounded up 4 reasons for why the holidays are a great time to be job-searching ...so get to it jobseekers! 

1. It's the perfect time to learn new skills

The holiday season offers a great opportunity for you to reflect and improve upon your employability. According to Seek, make use of this generally “quieter” period to add new skills to your resume and work on your career plan.

Volunteering opportunities also abound during this time of the year, so get in on the Christmas spirit and take the time to give back to those in need. I’ll look great on paper for employers – and you’ll get a personal sense of fulfillment from it, too.

2. There’s less competition

A lot of job seekers will put a halt to their job search over the holiday period, due to their busy schedules or the false impression that companies will not be hiring over Christmas. So if you’re looking for a job in a competitive field, now is your time to get one up on your competition, while the number of applicants is down.

3. It's a great time to reconnect with existing contacts & network with new contacts

The holiday season is a good opportunity to touch base with old networking contacts, recruiters and previous employers to wish them happy holidays, as well as provide them with a little reminder that you exist. Dropping them a line on LinkedIn or arranging a catch up could lead to progress in your job search.

4. Chances are you've got some downtime - make the most of it

If you’re already in a job it can be difficult to find the opportunity to work on your job search, so the Christmas break may actually be your perfect opportunity to dedicate some time to it. If you have any days left to use of your annual leave then make the most of them to update your resume and get some applications sent off.

Many of our clients at Stopgap are recruiting for opportunities in the new year, you can check them out here. 

Don't forget to get some headspace!

Most importantly though, don't forget to relax, enjoy the break and take some time for yourself and your family. That's important for all of us, whether we are job seeking or not.

Our office will be close this holiday season from December 24th through until January 2nd but the job board will stay open and we encourage all candidates to reach out & apply for jobs we are managing so we can help you find your spark in 2019!