When everyone else is waiting for the New Year for their new job, we look at why Christmas is the best time to get ahead of the game.
‘New Year, new you!’ Sound familiar? That can only mean January 1st is right around the corner and it won’t be long before your inbox is filled with those words ad nauseam. And if that phrase reminds you that you’ve spent another year in a job that isn’t right for you and prompts you to pick up your job search again, what do you think everybody else is doing?
Of course your application should be based on merit – on what you have to offer a prospective employer – and at Kingston Barnes we’ll do our utmost to help you find the right fit, but first you have to get noticed. And that’s when it becomes a numbers game; is it easier to get your CV seen in a pile of hundreds or a handful?
Why Queue When You Can Cut To The Chase?
Of course we can help you to the head of the queue, because employers value our recommendations, but wouldn’t it be better to skip that queue altogether? When your competitors are distracted by quaffing champagne at parties, buying Christmas presents and counting down the days until it’s time to down tools, the smart money is ramping up their career campaign.
It seems counterintuitive, because December is a notoriously slow month for business – other than retail – and the number of new hires tends to be low, but the start of a new calendar year means new budgets, new initiatives – and new staff requirements. You need to make sure your name is on prospective employers’ radar before they even know they need you.
Taking the initiative now and drawing attention to yourself as a potential employee could mean the difference between your CV landing on the ‘maybe’ pile and being sought after.
Don’t Fling Mud!
Even if there’s no actual vacancy advertised, now’s the best time for your CV to land on the desk wherever you see your career thriving. Of course, just firing your CV off speculatively is like flinging mud against a wall and hoping some of it sticks, but a professional introduction from a respected recruitment agency will stick in the hirer’s mind when the time’s right.
So what can you do to give your career a leg-up while the competition is crunching canapés?
Make Like Santa Claus
You should draw up a list of who’s been good and who’s been bad! Identify the companies that you respect and where you think your contribution will be valued. A good recruiter can help with background information and make recommendations of potential employers you may not have considered.
Sort Your CV
Most of us leave our CVs out of date until the time comes to send it off, but that’s a mistake. Use your downtime over the festive period to make it current; this will make it easier to tweak your CV to suit the opportunity when it arises. Again, a good recruiter can help you to present your professional experience in a way that will get you noticed.
Get Social
No, we don’t mean face time at every Christmas party you get invited to – although networking’s never a bad idea – but use this time ‘out of the office’ to make sure your social media presence reflects the way you want to be seen as a professional. As a minimum, your LinkedIn profile should detail roles and responsibilities that match your CV, as well as expanding on key achievements. If there’s anything – anything – on your social media presence that could put a potential employer off, then either delete it or make sure your settings are private.
Talk To Us
The single smartest move this festive season is talking to us to find out how Kingston Barnes can help you get a headstart on the new year job rush; you might be surprised how much we can help! Maybe your dream job is nearer than you think – and wouldn’t a new role for the New Year be the best Christmas present of all?
Call us today on 0117 325 2233 or send an email to office@kingstonbarnes.com