Shopping. Spending. Crowds. Wrapping. Packing. Travel. Family. Extended family. Christmas cards. Secret Santas. Cookies. End-of-the-year project deadlines. Holiday parties. Cold weather. Short days. Flu season. More spending. More cookies. Another year passing. Another year looming.
Not exactly a dull time of year!
During the holiday season, goodwill flows and festivities abound. Yet for many of us, time evaporates and stress skyrockets, impacting our health, happiness, relationships, work performance … and job search.
If you’re in the midst of a career change or just starting your hunt for a new job, it’s easy to lose focus during the holidays. Maybe it’s the stress of the impending New Year, the flurry of social obligations, or the pressure of family expectations. Or perhaps it’s the irresistible pull of activities that seem a little more fun — hot cocoa, sledding, snuggling up with your loved ones to watch It’s A Wonderful Life. More than likely, it’s a mix of all the above.
No matter the cause, staying on track with your job search can feel challenging this time of year. My best advice? Take a deep breath and be deliberate in your decision to either:
A) Relax, enjoy the holidays and give yourself a fresh start in the New Year. OR
B) Identify a handful of activities you can do now to keep your job search momentum alive while still enjoying the season.
Choose the path that works best for you! The key is to avoid feeling torn between wrapping gifts and researching job opportunities — or polishing your resume while visiting family. Without clarity, you risk giving neither the holidays nor your job search your best energy, leading to frustration on both fronts.
To help you choose your right path, here are 10 ways to infuse your job search into the holiday season — without sacrificing festive cheer.
1. Get Calm & Carry On.
According to a poll by Verywell Mind, more than 80% of us find the holiday season stressful. Combine that with the anxiety of a job search, and it’s a recipe for burnout.
Managing your stress is essential for a healthy body, mind, and job search. While yoga and meditation are my personal favorite stress-relieving tools, make sure you find what suits you well. Anything from deep breathing and exercise to eating well and sleeping soundly can work wonders. Prioritize these habits to boost your mood, creativity and decision-making during this busy season.
2. Work Your Plan.
The biggest cause of job search or career change failure is not knowing the right steps to take in the right order. After establishing a calm mindset, your next step is to discover more about yourself.
Grab a mug of cocoa and get crystal clear on your mission, values, goals and strengths. Knowing what you truly want will sharpen your personal brand and help you develop an elevator pitch that’s as compelling as it is concise.
3. Power Up Your Online Brand.
If you’ve clarified your goals and want to take that work a little further, think about how you can communicate your personal brand online (once you've honed it) in a consistent, creative and compelling way.
Not ready to revamp? Spend time exploring the social media presence of people you admire in your field. What are they posting, and how often? What stands out? Take notes on what resonates so you’re ready to make your own online presence shine.
4. Say Yes To Holiday Gatherings
Holiday parties, dinners and cookie swaps aren’t just about eggnog — they’re golden opportunities to reconnect with friends and former colleagues. While you want to keep the atmosphere light and social, you never know who might spark an idea, have a connection that could be beneficial, or have insights on open roles or upcoming expansions. Be sure to offer something in return, like advice or help with a project, to keep the connection mutually beneficial.
5. Idea Swap
Grab that Holiday Spice Flat White or cappuccino and buy one for your well-connected uncle or your sister’s friend who works in marketing like you’d love to. Informational interviews don’t have to be formal; the holidays are the perfect time to spread cheer while gathering insights. You’ll leave feeling energized and inspired.
6. Spread The Cheer
Keep the cheer spreading by using this opportunity to send holiday greetings. When done thoughtfully, it’s the perfect way to reconnect with people you haven’t talked to in awhile or to strengthen relationships with individuals in your network. An actual, hand-written card will be most appreciated.
7. Look Ahead
Visualize your life one year from today. What does your ideal workday look like? Where do you live? What do your social life and health look like? The clearer your vision, the better you can align your job search to make that vision a reality. Use this time to set specific goals and take small steps toward them.
8. Get Even Smarter
Now's the time to broaden your knowledge. Read, listen to and watch news and glean information from all over the political spectrum. Our recent presidential election underscores the importance of that! Take pride in learning fundamentals such the world population, U.S. population, U.S. debt, who your state’s governor is, when major wars took place, etc. Read about topics that typically make you turn the page.
Knowing something about art, literature, music, global challenges, cultures, language, belief systems, personal development and pop culture will make you a more interested and more interesting person and one who can carry on a conversation with all different types of people. You also will expand your knowledge of societal needs and opportunities, which could have a direct impact on your work life, altruism or volunteerism.
9. Shore Up Your Skills.
Holiday downtime is perfect for skill-building. What books can you read? Is there a webinar you could take? A workshop you could attend? A freelance or volunteer project you could tackle? December is prime time for discounts and holiday special pricing on everything from certificate programs to Kindle books, and volunteer needs are high so determine what you need to learn, what value you can add and how best to do that.
10. Enjoy Your Edge.
Many people hit pause on their job search or career change efforts in December because they are burned out or believe the myth that companies aren’t hiring now. By staying active, you’ll stand out and position yourself ahead of the competition. Hiring managers are often eager to fill positions before year-end, so this is prime time to make your move.
• • • • • • •
Celebrate Your Holiday Job Search!
The holidays offer a unique opportunity to balance productivity with joy. By staying intentional, you can make progress on your job search AND spend lots of quality cozy time with the people and pets who mean the most. Whether you’re networking over cocoa or setting your sights on new skills, every step brings you closer to your dream job.
And if you’re new to the job market and ready to dive deeper, pre-order Launch: The Recent College Grad’s Guide to Getting Unstuck & Empowering Your Dream Career for expert strategies to elevate your job search—or sign up for Dream Job Diaries for weekly insights to help you thrive in your career journey.
Happy Holidays! 🎄
P.S. If your dream job is eluding you, DOWNLOAD the free Job Search Success Audit now so you can see where you're stuck and fix it.
Maria Katrien 'Trie' Angeleva Heslin, MA, MA
Certified Coach, Author & Trainer
Dubbed “Professor Dream Job,” by her students, Trie is a former COO and founder of Reimagine Monday. She specializes in helping individuals transform their careers and lives through mindful, strategic approaches. Trie developed and taught career success courses at Indiana University, building on her proven methodology, The Love Monday Method. Her latest release, Launch, designed to help new college grads get unstuck in their search and empower their new career, is now available for Pre-Order.
With two Master's degrees, a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University, six coaching certifications and a deep passion for guiding new graduates and professionals in their prime, Trie supports individuals in navigating their career paths with clarity and confidence, and is dedicated to helping YOU turn your dream job into a reality.
Connect with Trie at trie@reimaginemonday.com.
