The holiday season is upon us! Holiday parties, vacations, presents, and slow hiring processes because everyone is in and out of the office. While this can be discouraging for job seekers, don’t let it be. Take advantage of this down time.

This is the time to start prepping for when companies re-energize their budgets in the new year and are hiring like crazy – get ready now so you can hit the ground running.

Here’s how:

• Update your resume and personal brand platform to perfection: This is a great time to ensure your resume is error free and reflects the type of job you are going for. It can hectic in the start of the new year, take this down time to create a perfect resume and various versions if you are going for different types of roles, highlighting relevant skills based on the role. Also, ensure your personal brand across all platforms is up to date and polished. If you have extra time, we recommend creating a personal website as well – it’s a great way to show your personality and relevant work. There are free resources such as about.me or more sophisticated tools like Squarespace and Wix that have a monthly fee. If you are going to create a website, ensure it is a positive reflection of yourself and has a purpose. Make sure to take Brand You seriously and manage it with care.
• Identify top companies of interest: Even if the companies you are interested in don’t have any current openings, they eventually will. Start to identify these companies and key contacts. See if you have any connections and try to network your way in. Create a list of 20 dream companies and stay on top of their openings so that you can jump right on it when something opens up that’s a match. Whatever you do, don’t apply to multiple jobs at one company, it will come across as desperate and that you are not self-aware.
• Reach out to your networks: Business tends to slow down in the last few weeks of the year, which is the best time to reach out so your message is seen. Set up phone/in person meetings with people in your network who work at companies or have a role you are interested in. Even if there aren’t any current relevant openings, make the connection now and follow up appropriately (no more than once a month) so that when that perfect opening comes up you have already laid the groundwork.
• Alert your references that you are super active in your search: At the start of the new year hiring processes can move fast. If you are planning to make a move in the near future, make sure your references are aware and ask for permission if they can be contacted. You never know they may even be able to help you further network in your search beyond providing a reference for a job you are applying for on your own. Having positive references ready to be contacted is crucial in the job search process.
• Get interview ready outfits: Dressing to impress is crucial in the interview process, make sure you are prepared! Make sure to have interview appropriate clothes in your wardrobe. While there are a ton of casual office environments out there, you always want to dress a step above that and looked super polished and pulled together. Don’t let your judgement on interview attire lose you the job! We recommend dressing more on the conservative side to be safe, no plunging necklines, sheer, dirty, or ripped clothes.

Look at this time as a way to uncover your skills and realize your potential, mapping our your goals/dreams for the year to come. If you put the hard work in now, you will feel great going into 2017 to go after that job you’ve always wanted.

If you have more questions about how to get interview ready, email, info@claritystaffing.com.