Stop Your Job Search Until 2010 – Dumb Move
I get this all the time from candidates I’m working with in our job search coaching program. It usually starts with, “The holidays are here and nobody is hiring during this period.” or “Why look now? I will wait until the new year. It is time for a break.”
As succinctly as my mild manner can put it, DUMB MOVE. Sorry to yell, but that is what this attitude is. So let’s call it dumb.
In almost 30 years in the search business I have weathered 4 recessions, including this one. In every recession, including this one, I have active searches underway. I have filled many searches and started many searches during the holiday season. You don’t want to be left behind. For example, I will be starting a VP of Sales search today. Do you think I will wait until the new year to start the search process? NO WAY. I will be actively sourcing, interviewing and presenting candidates to my client as quickly as I can find them.
If you put your search on hold until 2010 I will probably not find you, not consider you, and by the time you reactivate your job search, I’ll already have candidates going through the hiring process. That means only one thing for you, you are probably going to end up in the backup group of candidates.
Let others put their job hunting activity on hold. You should continue yours, as aggressively as always.
5 reasons why you should:
1) If everyone else puts their search on hold, then there is less competition out there for you, making it easier for you to be discovered.
2) As stated earlier, the hiring process doesn’t stop during this period. It may slow, but it doesn’t stop. You only need one job opportunity. Don’t let that one opportunity pass you by.
3) Why stop the momentum you have built up? This by itself is a good reason not to stop your job search activity. Why on earth would anybody want to restart a job search? It is hard enough work to begin with, so let’s do it twice. Are you serious?
4) Use this time to establish momentum going into the new year. If you think hiring will wait until the new year, fine. Doesn’t it make sense then to proactively get a jump on this hiring activity? Why would you want to be reactive? Being reactive is rarely a good job search strategy.
5) This is a great time to re-evaluate your job search. Take a look back on 2009 and do some objective analysis of what worked and what didn’t work. Use this time to get help. Read some books, listen to CDs, engage an expert. Every process needs to be analyzed. The key is objectively. If you can’t do that, then get someone to help you. You can’t fix what you don’t know isn’t working. Download our tool, Job Search Self-Assessment Scorecard, to help with this analysis. It is FREE and a good place to start. CLICK HERE to download yours.
This is the time to put your ego aside and listen, learn and adapt.
Don’t put your search on hold during this holiday season. Instead use this time wisely to out-smart the competition, get a leg up on the competition and be proactive.
Another tool to help you is our skills assessment worksheet. This is a good time to take an inventory of your transferable skills and put a plan together to get whatever skills you may be lacking. CLICK HERE to get your free skills assessment. Scroll to the bottom to the What’s New Section.
Finally, join our Job Search Networking Group on Linkedin. Over 3300 members have joined. This is an active group with a wealth of resources, discussions and articles to make sure your job search stays on track. It is FREE to join. CLICK HERE to join.
I welcome your thoughts, feedback and comments.
Brad Remillard
Tags: Career Mistakes, Great Recruiters, Interview Mistakes, Interviewing Mistakes, Job Hunting, Job Search LinkedIn Discussion Group, Job Search Mistakes, Job Search Social Media, LinkedIn Job Search, Networking Mistakes, Resume Mistakes
Job Search Mistakes, Job Search Preparation | bradremillard November 25, 2009
About the Author
Brad Remillard is a founding Partner of IMPACT Hiring Solutions, co-author of "You're NOT the Person I Hired", and "This is NOT the Position I Accepted". Brad is an award-winning international speaker, retained executive recruiter, and expert on hiring and retaining top talent, and executive job search.
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By Carol Adams, November 25, 2009 @ 4:38 pm
I facilitate a two day workshop for people seeking new jobs. Does your company provide such training opportunites?
Thanks,
Carol
By Marci Reynolds, November 27, 2009 @ 10:04 pm
Great blog post.. I get concerned when I hear job seekers talk about December being a quiet time for search.. In addition to your excellent suggestions, this would be a great time to refresh and update your online presence, profile language and resume language. Ask for a fresh set of eyes to provide feedback.
Marci Reynolds
J2B Marketing
By John Rio, November 28, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
Brad,
Good stuff. I have worked so hard to gain momentum in the last few months. It would be counter productive to slow down now. Even if the several things I have “in the works” continue through into the new year if I stop now I will fall out of contention and go to the back of the pack. Also I would like to add that I am also using this time to build up my network, I have added over 100 people in the last three months. Because of this it’s opened up new opportunities that I would not have been exposed to. Perseverance..
Thanks
John
By bradremillard, November 28, 2009 @ 12:30 pm
Keep it up John. It is an endurance race and those that don’t stop will find something. You are doing all the right things so it just a matter of time until you hit the home run.
Brad
By Jorge Lazaro Diaz, December 7, 2009 @ 12:28 pm
Taking it easy this time of year might be easy to justify to the the wife, but quitting even temporarily isn’t a good move. There will be others that keep moving and will step ahead of you.
Let me give you some examples. This lady Mary Burman is being really creative. She sends hiring managers Starbuck’s coffee cups in hopes of getting them to meet her for coffee. (See her story at http://www.careerjockey.org/how-to-find-a-job-faster/).
Holly Schnack stands on Chicago street corners (in the summer) with a sign on her back. I don’t see her quitting. (See her story http://www.careerjockey.org/holly-schnack-monument-to-perseverance/)
I’m not saying these tactics are for everyone, but it shows you what some people will do. At CareerJockey.org I write words of encouragement and provide all sorts of resources for job seekers.
Things are tough out there, but there are jobs and they will go to the ones that stay with it.
Hope this helps.