5 Ways to Keep Your Job Search Moving During the Holidays

The holidays are coming, and life can get busy. Between family plans, school breaks, appointments, travel, and other responsibilities, it can be tempting to say, “I’ll start looking for a job again after the holidays.”

Taking time for yourself and your family is important. But you don’t have to put your job search completely on hold.

Even a few small steps each week can help you stay on track and feel more prepared when the new year arrives.

1. Set a Small Job Search Goal

You don’t need to spend hours searching for jobs every day. Give yourself a goal that feels manageable.

You might decide to:

• Apply for two jobs this week.
• Spend 30 minutes looking at job openings.
• Update one section of your resume.
• Contact a former coworker or supervisor about being a reference.
• Make a list of employers you want to learn more about.

Small goals can help you keep making progress without adding more stress to an already busy season.

2. Give Your Resume a Holiday Checkup

When was the last time you really looked at your resume?

Use some of your downtime to make sure your resume includes your most recent experience, skills, training, and contact information.

Then look at it from an employer’s point of view. Does it clearly show what you can do? Is it easy to read? Does it match the types of jobs you are applying for?

If you aren’t sure, bring it to Employment Connection. Our team can help you take another look and find ways to make your resume stronger.

3. Practice Talking About Your Skills

The holidays often give us opportunities to talk with people we haven’t seen in a while.

When someone asks, “What have you been up to?” practice talking about the kind of work you’re looking for.

You might say:

“I’m looking for a customer service position where I can use my communication and problem-solving skills.”

Keep it simple. You never know who may know about an employer, job opening, or helpful connection.

This is also good practice for your next interview.

4. Use the Time to Build a Skill

Your next step doesn’t always have to be another job application.

Think about something that could make you a stronger candidate. Maybe you want to improve your computer skills, practice interviewing, learn more about a career, or explore training opportunities.

Employment Connection offers workshops, career exploration tools, skills assessments, interview practice, resume assistance, and other resources that can help you prepare for your next opportunity.

Choose one area you want to improve and start there.

5. Make a Plan for January

Instead of waiting until January to decide what to do, use the next few weeks to create a plan.

Ask yourself:

• What type of job am I looking for?
• Which employers do I want to apply to?
• Does my resume need work?
• Do I need additional skills or training?
• Is there a challenge making it harder for me to find or keep a job?
• What is one thing I can do next?

You don’t need all the answers. An Employment Connection Career Coach can help you explore your options and turn your goals into practical next steps. EC’s My Action Plan is designed to help customers identify goals, next steps, and accomplishments as they work toward employment and training goals.

Keep Moving Forward

The holidays don’t have to mean putting your goals aside until next year.

Give yourself permission to enjoy the season while continuing to make progress. One application, one resume update, one new skill, or one conversation can be a step forward.

Need help deciding what your next step should be? Visit your local Employment Connection center or EmploymentConnect.org. Our team can help you with your resume, job search, interview preparation, career planning, training options, and more.

You don’t have to figure out your next step alone. Let’s Get to Work.