Six tips for job hunting during the holidays

November 11, 9:04 AMEntry Level Careers ExaminerHeather Huhman

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Many job seekers put off job hunting during the holidays season, assuming companies are not hiring in November and December. But if you do that, you’re missing out on opportunities to interview for positions that have start dates early in the New Year.

“Halloween is not just the start of the holiday season, it’s budgeting season. October 1 marks the beginning of the fourth quarter for many employers’ fiscal years. Managers are scrambling to make their case for next year’s budget and getting the nod about what they can expect for the coming year. After all of these layoffs, remaining employees are struggling under the workload, so any sane manager’s first request will be, ‘Can we add headcount yet?,’” states Duncan Mathison, executive career consultant and co-author of “Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Job Search When Times are Tough.”

So, what does this mean to those who are looking for jobs during the holiday season? Mathison explains:

1. Do not fall into the holiday slump. The dumbest thing a job searcher can do now is put off the search until after the first of the year. People will be hired after the first of the year, but they will be the ones who got introduced to the hiring manager in the next few months.

The smart job searcher who is targeting the hidden job market understands that managers have the most flexibility in creating jobs during the budgeting season when they are looking at priorities and positions. Strike now when the iron is hot.

2. Kick the networking into high gear. Your goal is to meet people who would manage someone with your skills and capabilities. When budget decisions are being made, there will be a manager who thinks, “I could use this person next year…”

3. Ask about budgets. Talking to someone from one of your target companies? Ask them if they know what the staffing plans are for the next year. Don’t be put off by general statements that there “might be more cuts.” You are interested in knowing if they might add a position in your specific functional area.

4. Ask about employers’ priorities for the coming year. Do they want to launch a new product? Open a new market? Improve their quality operations? Install a new system? Start a new program? In some situations, this planning might be a closely-kept secret, but for many managers it’s not. They don’t tell because nobody bothers to ask. Knowing what they will be working on may give you a clue about how your skills can help.

5. Keep your eye out for situations where your mix of talents might offer two for the price of one. Sometimes employers think they have to hire two people when they think they cannot get the skill set in one person. (“We need one person who knows about X and another who knows about Y.”) You might bring both. Once a manager meets you and decides you would be an asset for their team, they will adjust the new position to meet your skills.

6. Start the process of getting hired before the position is approved. Until the manager gets approval, they may be reluctant to promise a job. But you can always ask questions to get the ball rolling before others get wind of the opportunity. For example, you might ask, “Are there other people you think I should meet as this new position is under consideration?” or “If you get the budget, do you feel confident I would be the right person for this position?”

For more career advice, visit my new blog at HeatherHuhman.com.