Is the Holiday Season a Good Time to Slow Down Your Job Hunting Activity?

The holiday season is approaching. With it will come a slow down in job search activity by many job seekers. This is as true for those who are employed and seeking advancement or new opportunities as it is for those who are unemployed. Is this a good time to slow down your job search activity?

The holiday season is approaching. With it will come a slow down in job search
activity by many job seekers. This is as
true for those who are employed and seeking advancement or new opportunities as
it is for those who are unemployed.

Activity
in the formal job market (advertisements, postings, etc.) slows
drastically. The want ad section of the
Sunday paper shrinks in size. The number
of postings on usajobs drops. Filling
internal positions stops as employees take their use or lose leave. Budget issues that should have been resolved
before the beginning of the fiscal year are still slowing the announcing of
positions.

Is
this a good time for you to slow down your job search activity? Not really. There are many things that you can do during the holidays to improve
your chances of finding a new or better position.

Give
your resume and other paperwork a check-up.

  • Take advantage of some of your own use or lose time to bring your resume
    or application form up-to-date. Add
    recent accomplishments and have a career advisor review your resume and make
    suggestions for its improvement. 
  • Prepare
    your KSA statements (or the cuirrent equivalent requirement for a job you are seeking) in advance for jobs in which you are interested. You can find the requirements for those jobs by
    looking at previous job announcements. Having these statements prepared in advance will save you time in the
    application process later.
  • Don’t
    stop your networking activities. The
    holidays, with their get-togethers and parties, are ideal times to make contact
    with people who can help you in your job search. Although this is truer in the private sector,
    you should never underestimate the power of networking when seeking federal
    opportunities. 
  • Prepare a clear, concise
    statement of who you are and what your skills and accomplishments are and use
    it in conversations with those you meet at gatherings. Ask questions about occupations or
    opportunities of those you meet. Do your
    best to create a good impression during these gatherings.
  • Don’t
    forget to take time to take care of yourself by recharging your batteries with
    loved ones and engaging in activities you enjoy. Consider the path you want your career to
    take and resolve to follow that path.

 There
are many things you can do during the holidays to position yourself for success
after the holidays. Take advantage of the time to prepare yourself for your next career move.

Agencies can request to have John Grobe, or another of Federal Career Experts' qualified instructors, deliver a retirement or transition seminar to their employees. FCE instructors are not financial advisers and will not sell or recommend financial products to class participants. Agency Benefits Officers can contact John Grobe at [email protected] to discuss schedules and costs.

About the Author

John Grobe is President of Federal Career Experts, a firm that provides pre-retirement training and seminars to a wide variety of federal agencies. FCE’s instructors are all retired federal retirement specialists who educate class participants on the ins and outs of federal retirement and benefits; there is never an attempt to influence participants to invest a certain way, or to purchase any financial products. John and FCE specialize in retirement for special category employees, such as law enforcement officers.