2 Myths and 2 Truths That Will Impact Your Job Search This Holiday Season

From now through New Years, calendars become filled with a combination of merriment, preparing for merriment and counting the days until we get a few days off from work.

It’s natural that many consider this the ideal time to hit “pause” on the job search.

While the inclination to hit the brakes is natural, it is based on misinformation stemming from career myths. Fortunately, these myths can be quickly dispelled, thanks to a 2015 Q4 Hiring Outlook published recently by Ivy Exec.

The report sums up a survey of HR professionals about their hiring plans through the end of the year, and includes respondents from 16 industries including financial services, IT, management consulting and consumer products.

The report reveals an overwhelming 94% of respondents believed job seekers should NOT AVOID conducting a job search for fear of seasonal inactivity.

Based on the findings, a plan to hit brakes on a December job search to resume your job search in January may in fact hurt you.

MYTH ONE: No One Hires During the Holidays

TRUTH: The doors of business don’t close because the calendar is filled with national and religious holidays. Companies still conduct layoffs, people still quit, retire and move on. THERE ARE ALWAYS JOBS.

FACT:  Survey responders reported they expect to maintain the pace or plan to increase the rate through the end of the year.

In particular, Healthcare, Management Consulting, Manufacturing, Non Profits, Retail, and Technology industries expected to make more hires, with the greatest need lying in IT, sales, business development and operations roles.

MYTH TWO: The Coffers are Empty for Hiring until the New Year

TRUTH: Not all decisions are put on hold till after January 1. In fact, many budgeted funds are “use it or lose it” which means if a position is available in 2015 hiring managers are more eager than ever to fill it ASAP in case funding dries up in 2016.

FACT: According to the Ivy Exec survey, the majority of respondents plan to use their full budget. In fact, only 12% have used up their 2015 funds.

TRUTH ONE:  A Holiday Job Hunt Can Improve Your Odds

The reality is that many do, in fact, opt out of the job hunt during the holidays. This means the competition pool is smaller – making it easier than ever to stand out.

FACT: More than one-third of respondents reported a drop off in applications to the job openings, meaning the competition lightens up!

TRUTH TWO: Holiday Career Prep Puts You Ahead of the New Year Crowd

Getting your resume and LinkedIn profile ready to roll for a 2016 job hunt will not happen overnight.

From start to finish it may take a few weeks to a month before your career documents are ready for circulation and publication.

Documents ready in December, however, mean you’ll be ready to hit the ground running January 1 – way ahead of those who opted to wait to kick start their job search.

Wouldn’t you rather be ahead of the game?