Speed up (don’t slow) your job search efforts during the holidays

Put aside the idea about people not hiring during the Holidays. Whether it’s true or not, it can become an excuse to do nothing.

I agree with Walter, and I’m going to take it one step further. Candidates should intensify their job search during the holidays. Many hiring managers know this is the best time to look for candidates. Only the most motivated job seekers will keep up their search efforts — and motivation is a good trait to have in a candidate! Conversely, only the best hiring managers are looking for candidates during the holiday season. It means their team is growing. They can’t wait to add more people to the team, and they are committed to finding the best people — holidays or not.

Let me give you a quick example: last December, Seattle had the worst snowstorm in a decade. During that time, I was hiring for an open contractor position at Microsoft. With the holidays and poor weather, most candidates paused their job searches. But one plucky job seeker wasn’t deterred. He navigated the treacherous ice-rink like roads for an in-person interview in downtown Seattle, which was completely crippled by the snowstorm. He got an amazing Christmas present; he got the job! A couple months after, I converted his contractor position to a full-time position. We’re both glad that he came out for that interview. And more importantly, his effort last year spoke volumes of his courage, determination, and motivation — which he brings to work every single day.