You’ve been applying to jobs consistently for the past few weeks but now that the holidays are approaching, you’re thinking of taking a break. Think again.

While many job seekers make this mistake, we can tell you that this is a great time to continue your job search.

Both companies and candidates make a real push to arrive at decisions on job offers before the close of the year, which results in December being one of the busiest months of the year in recruitment.

We take a look at how you can stand out from the crowd by continuing your job search over the holiday period, plus we identify tips to make your resume stand out and land you that dream job you’ve been searching for.

1. Stay ahead of the competition

Since many people begin their job search at the start of the new year, continuing your job search during the holidays will give you a head start and lead to less competition.

Since many companies are looking to hire before January, the lack of competitive applicants at the end of the year allows you to take a more strategic approach with your search and land your dream job before others even start looking. 

"Both companies and candidates make a real push to arrive at decisions on offers before the close of the year," said Nick Louca, Head of New York, Robert Walters. "This results in December being one of the busiest months of the year for us."

2. More hiring activity than you think

Many companies are allocated an annual budget for hiring which they need to use in order to maintain budgetv levels the following year. This is another reason that the holiday season is a prime time to job hunt.

Additionally, we are increasingly seeing companies adopt a hiring plan where they ensure they have hired the staff they need and onboarded them successfully into the business in late Q4. This is because they want to start the new year with the right staff in place and with as much firing power as possible, rather than get bogged down by recruitment activity in the new year.

“Normal companies plan to start their hiring at the start of the year. However, smart companies complete their new year hiring before the end of the year,” continued Nick.

Tip: Be sure that when you are approached with an offer that you negotiate using these successful approaches.

3. Time to get up to speed

With business typically slowing down at the end of the year, the holiday season is the perfect time to join a new company and complete your onboarding process with your new employer.

Usually the new year is full of strategy meetings and people getting back to the busy flow of work. So instead of feeling like a nuisance during January and February, if you start with a new business over the holiday period, you have more time to complete training without feeling overwhelmed by the “plan of attack” atmosphere that the new year brings.

Nick adds:“A defined break before starting a new role can make all the difference to whether or not you have the energy and positivity to start as well as you possibly can at your new company."

Find out how a recruiter can help you start the job search process. Email us at getintouch@robertwalters.com.