Holiday Job Searching -- Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Thinking about taking a break from your job search? Think again. December is not all about vacations and holiday shopping. The truth is, plenty of businesses don't stop their hiring processes to spread holiday cheer-- and many businesses are doing peak sales and need the extra staff. If you're job hunting, this is a most wonderful time of the year.

Short-term Retail Positions

There are plenty of short-term retail positions created during the holidays. This is not just working a booth at the mall. Plenty of retailers are adding cashiers to handle the increase in customers, and adding floor managers to deal with the new stock. Deliver drivers are needed. Any of these positions could lead to more work, and all add experience to your resume.

Competition for Positions

Because so many job seekers stop their search during December, this means less competition for you. At this time of year, recruiters see a fraction of the resumes and applications they usually get, and many of those candidates are hard to get a hold of. Step up your job search. Answer your phone. You just might be the best candidate for the job.

Winter Seasonal Work

Many positions for winter seasonal work are hiring now. Recruiters would like to have these positions filled and ready to start for January. If you're a summer seasonal worker, now is a great time to look for winter work for year-long income.

Be Positive

Holiday stress can cause many job seekers to become frustrated, depressed and give up their job searching. Stay positive. Recruiters are just as stressed about the holidays. A positive attitude will make a great impression. It might just get you the job.

Give and Ye Shall Receive

At this time of year, there are plenty of volunteer organizations looking for extra hands. Volunteering your time puts you in a great networking position, while also adding skills and experience to your resume.

Keep up a positive attitude and work hard to job search this holiday season. Even a short-term position can work into something more come January when vacation season starts.

[A word of warning: Do be mindful of job scams. Grinches don't slow down for the holidays.]

We can help! Come on over to our office. We don't slow down for the holidays, either. See our holiday hours. If you're job searching, our experienced employment counsellors can help. You don't have to job search alone.

More articles on job searching during the holidays:

5 Reasons to Continue Your Job Search over the Holidays

Holiday Job Searching

How to Job Search over the Holidays

Job Hunting During the Holidays

Staying Motivated While Job Searching

Job searching is a difficult task, made all the more grueling by the very personal nature in which you are being evaluated for each job. Every "no" feels like it's aimed at you, and after a collection of rejections you might start to feel like you'll never get a job. Finding the motivation to keep job searching becomes a chore in itself. Here are a few tips to help you keep up your job-search confidence.

First, review your accomplishments every day. Employers are looking for people with positive, enthusiastic attitudes to enhance their businesses. They're not going to want to hire droopy, depressed people who are afraid to talk about themselves. Read over your resume, look through your certificates, and keep a notebook of your best accomplishments. Whenever you remember something you've done that makes you feel proud, jot it down in the notebook. Review these accomplishments before sending a cover letter and before attending an interview. A positive attitude can be felt even in a cover letter. Remember to wear a smile!

Find a support group. A group setting not only increases your list of contacts, but the group setting can provide you with new job search ideas and stories of job search success. A group can be a great source of inspiration. Sometimes when job searching you feel like you're all alone. The first thing you'll find in a support group is that you're not alone. Here at VCCS Employment Services, we run workshops each month. These are great opportunities to find others who are job searching just like you.

If a support group isn't your thing, find a motivational partner. This is someone you can talk to about your job search, proofread your cover letter, commiserate with you and celebrate your success. Find someone who will hold you accountable for your job search and won't let you give up even when it gets hard. This person could also be job searching, and you could lean on each other for support. If you're having trouble finding someone, come to VCCS Employment Services and talk to our counsellors. There's a whole team of job-search cheerleaders here for you.

Perseverance. The hit movie The Help is based on a book by Kathryn Stockett. Kathryn's book was rejected by literary agents 60 times. What if she'd given up after 8 rejections? Or 23? Or even 40? After all, 40 rejections would be pretty hard to take. Finding an agent is no different from finding a job. What if in your job search I told you that you would get the 47th job you applied for-- would you quit after applying for 15 jobs? After 26? Probably not. The right job is out there. You have to keep applying to find it. Try this: for every "no" you get, send out 3 more resumes. Keep looking for opportunities, keep applying.

Volunteer. This is also a great way to increase the number of people you know, and establish more connections, grow your support network. It also increases your employable skills, giving you something relevant to add to your resume. Come in to VCCS Employment Services and look over the many volunteer opportunities posted on our bulletin board, or have a look at Fourinfo.com. The right one is there for you.

Remember you are your own life manager. How would you say your manager is doing? Are you happy with your current job prospects? Would you manage someone else's career direction this way? Probably not. Probably you would be encouraging, supportive, and not take any excuses to quit! Remember: you are worth the same effort! If you're having trouble remembering this, go back up to the top of this post and start following the tips. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Be your own best friend.

Sometimes finding a job really is about who you know. Talk to your family, friends and neighbours. Let them know you're job searching. They might have heard of an opportunity that's right for you. This also helps you establish a support group, a network of motivational partners. Look for work opportunities everywhere.

Above all else, don't give up.

...

Read more about Kathryn Stockett's inspiring story of perseverance: More magazine

Photo credits: perseverance

5 Tips for Managing the Stress of Starting a New Job

Starting a new job can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you get through the first few days.

1. Get organized, plan your day.

Spend some time the night before to plan your day. Choose your clothing, make sure it's all clean and pressed. Pack your lunch. Charge your cell phone. Pack a notebook and pen to take with you. If your job requires special tools or equipment, make sure they are in working order and ready to go.

2. Know your workplace.

You probably did some research about your new company during the job search and interview process. Now is the time for additional research. Prepare the night before by reviewing what you learned in your interview. Take another look at the company website, this time to learn the company's mission statement and philosophy. It's now your mission statement, your philosophy.

3. Know your job.

Keep a copy of the job ad, or job description, with you during the first few weeks. This will help you to learn the functions of your new role. Study the company's policies and procedures. Avoid making too many changes too soon in your new job. You want to learn the culture of your new environment before you try to change it. Don't compare your new employer to your old employer. Forget the probation period. Adjust to the rhythm of the workplace right away. You might have a 90 day probation period, but the truth is, no one needs 90 days to learn their place, and if they do, this may not be the right job for them.

4. Keep calm and carry on.

Relax. No one expects you to remember everyone's names in that first day. Be patient with yourself. You didn't learn everything about your last job in one day. You're not expected to know everything about your new job, but you are expected to be a positive contributor to the workplace.

You might want to review our post, "6 Topics to Avoid Discussing at Work".

5. Review your accomplishments.

You were hired for a reason. Keep your résumé with you during the first few days, and read it. Review your accomplishments throughout the day. Stay positive.

If your stress level is becoming too much for you to handle, visit the Canadian Mental Health Association. They can help.

Additional Reading:

* Starting a New Job: How to be Comfortable

* Four tips to overcome fear and anxiety in your new job

photo from flickr commons