Six holiday strategies for the unemployed: make merry, and maximize your job hunt, too!
If you’re jobless this December –- and there are roughly 16 million Americans who are –- you know that being unemployed over the holiday season can make it feel like there is little to celebrate.
There are several types of stressors you may encounter over the holidays:
- You may worry what to tell friends and family at social gatherings;
- You may be facing a cash shortfall, yet still wish to provide gifts for your loved ones;
- You may be feeling depressed, angry, or less worthy than usual;
- You may be tempted to take a vacation from your job search.
Alone or combined, these situations can present a real challenge for downsized individuals. Fortunately, the holiday season also offers some special opportunities to rejuvenate your spirits and advance your job search. That’s why we’re providing six power tips on how to maximize the month of December and re-vamp your search for employment by January 1.
TIP 1: That “no one’s hiring in December” thing? That’s a myth. Keep trying.
It’s true that lots of offices slow down during the holidays, but plenty of recruitment goes on in this period! Some departments face “lose it or use it” provisions on their hiring budgets, so you may find they’re eager to seal a deal with you by December 31. On the other side of the coin, lots of projects come into brand-new funds as of Q1 2010, meaning your long wait may be over. Best of all, because so many people believe December is dead for hiring, there is greatly reduced competition for jobs. So don’t slow down on submitting online applications, and make sure your resume is front-and-center with your desired employers all through the last month of the year.
TIP 2: Manage your downtime intelligently.
The holidays are a special time to relax and enjoy family traditions and get-togethers. While you are entitled to enjoy this time, I urge you not to have the same vacation expectations as your friends who have been working full-time. Some of them will take off from December 18 through January 4, and you just can’t afford to neglect your job search for that long. Thoughtfully plan out your daily activities for the rest of the year using a calendar. Give yourself the “big days” off –- New Year’s Eve, for instance –- but schedule a few hours of job-search work for almost every other day… even if your “working friends” aren’t working at all. It’s a tough break, but you’ll feel better about yourself and your job hunt if you stick to a productive schedule throughout the holiday season.
TIP 3: Get ready to mingle, sip eggnog, and smile; you’re going to network at holiday parties.
Don’t hide at home, no matter how uncertain you may be feeling. There are increased social opportunities at the holidays, and these can really help with your personal feelings of satisfaction and support, as you re-connect with people who like you for you! Meeting new people is great, too: put on a nice sweater or sports jacket to network with rarely seen relatives and neighbors, and have a short speech ready stating what kind of professionals you’d like to chat with. It makes people happy to be able to make introductions or give advice. Accept this help gracefully and in the generous spirit that it is given.
TIP 4: Use this occasion to make over your family’s gifting traditions.
When your cash flow is compromised, you must be very careful with your resources. It is probably best not to succumb to the pressures of a consumer culture that urges materialistic expressions of your emotions. Your loved ones will understand and likely welcome the proposal of a low-cost gift exchange or a “handmade holiday.” Not only will they be happy to receive your gifts of love and time, but they will be relieved to see you not going into debt or suffering stress to provide a costly present. There are many creative, free gifts that you can put together easily.
TIP 5: While you’re doing that, take a critical look at your own wishlist.
If you’re unemployed, you’ve probably been “doing without” for quite some time, concentrating on must-haves such as rent, utilities, and groceries. If you have been asking your family for any kind of assistance with cash or food, then it is not appropriate to request luxurious or lifestyle items at the holidays. You should postpone these as rewards for yourself when you have a paycheck again. In the meantime, if you need items for your job hunt, let your family know. They will probably be happy to fulfill requests for job-search necessities such as office supplies (quality resume paper, or ink cartridges for your printer); personal accessories (a silk tie or an attractive briefcase); or even personal services (a resume consultation or a LinkedIn premium upgrade might be in order). Note to well-meaning gift-givers: These are only things that should be given if on a jobhunter’s wishlist: unsolicited career gifts to the unemployed can be seen as lacking tact.
TIP 6: Practice writing “2010″ and pull out some postage stamps!
Maybe you’re not entirely confident about sending holiday cards to people in your network… or maybe you’ve already waited too long for them to be delivered on time. Consider New Year’s cards as a professional, secular replacement. Now that most business mail is electronic, people have a re-discovered interest in physical mail. (Hang around any mailroom, and you’ll notice how eagerly people rip open packages.) The strategy is to get yourself noticed just as everyone comes back to work from the holidays, ready to apply themselves in the New Year. In their in-box, they’ll find a cheery New Year’s card wishing them a happy and prosperous new year, along with a printed copy of your resume and a business card attached. Congratulations: you’ve just achieved top-of-mind awareness in the mind of an employer – and aren’t you happy you worked on your job hunt over the holidays?
For more excellent advice on how unemployed professionals can best survive and thrive throughout the holiday season, check out:
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