You may think that Christmas and New Years is the perfect time for you to take a hard-earned break from your relentless job searching, but here is why you should not put the brakes on…

It is the perfect time to network. Your friends or former colleagues might have time off over the holidays, so take advantage and catch up over a coffee (your shout). It won’t feel so forced this time of year. Another great option is to reach out to your LinkedIn contacts and send a holiday greeting to get the conversation going.

You may think that others are pulling back on the job search so why should you keep going, but the answer is, the serious job seekers are still very much active, and companies are still hiring. I once received a rejection letter from a company on Christmas Day. It was brutal but a good reminder that often businesses take that down time to catch up on hiring.

This time of year is a perfect time to volunteer. Not only does giving back make us feel good, building our confidence, but it is a good opportunity to build up your volunteering portfolio on your resume. You might even make some valuable contacts along the way.

Take the down time to revise your resume, update your LinkedIn, and truly take time to edit each application to the positions you are applying for. A new year is upon us, so put your best foot forward, and go into it with confidence!

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