While the holidays might seem like a slow period for hiring, most don't realize that this also presents an opportunity for job applicants to make an impression.
During the holidays many job seekers are preoccupied with family gatherings and other distractions that keep them away from their job search. As a result, the volume of job seekers is often lighter, and that gives you, as a candidate, a greater chance of being noticed.
Most companies work on their strategic plans during the fourth quarter and tend to be more open to a variety of potential hires that might fit with their strategic goals for the coming year.
Call during off hours
As the holidays approach, people are in and out of the office, and those who are at work often use that time to play catch up. Since support staff may be out of the office, you have a better chance of reaching an actual hiring manager. A great way to contact managers when they aren't running in and out of meetings is to call before the start of the business day or after 5 p.m.
Avoid holiday gimmicks
Some job seekers use ideas like sending a plate of Christmas cookies along with a cover letter or printing their resumes on holiday paper in the hopes that they'll get noticed. We feel it's better to be more conservative. Make sure the content of your email is written persuasively and with impact. Focus on your skills rather than gimmicks; you also won't have to worry about offending people who celebrate different holidays.
Use events to build relationships, not beg for a job
Holiday parties, end-of-the-year conferences, and other events all afford opportunities for networking. Job seekers can also organize holiday drinks with people they want to connect or reconnect with, since people tend to be more open to socializing during this time of year.
The idea is to have more face time and build a relationship. What you should be doing now during the holiday time is contacting them in a way that puts them on a more equal footing. People are much more willing to go out for drinks, have lunch, and give more face time. Use this time to forge relationships, not just look for the job.
Don't lose focus
Staying motivated during the holidays could give you can edge over those applicants who put their search on hold. The biggest thing is to keep at it. Around the holidays, it's easy to get caught up in all the distractions. Set aside time every day and continue to look for opportunities.
The idea is for people not to assume that because it's the holiday season that they shouldn't continue their efforts.
This is a really good time of year to take advantage of relationships, forge new alliances, and to use the holiday spirit to your benefit.
A job offer should be weighed on its own merits and not leveraged against your current employer for a counter offer. Once you have confidentially made the decision to decline the new offer, only then should you utilize the job offer to negotiate with your current employer. Be advised negotiating for a counter offer can be risky.
When you have an offer from a potential new employer, remaining with the old company in your comfort zone may appear to be the easiest alternative. Fear of the unknown is always a factor.
Quality of life is one of the top reasons why good, loyal employees venture to other opportunities seeking a shorter commute, fewer hours, better pay, and an increase in responsibilities or title. Of course, better compensation and benefits package is always at the top of the list for reasons to make a job change and these are all great, justifiable reasons to consider making a career move.
First, you must remember all the reasons why you are considering a change and what motivated you to put together your resume and share it with a potential new employer.
Carefully weigh your options. Before you can make a good decision you must identify the reasons why you wanted to make a change at the beginning of the process. Often times, money is not the only factor that surfaces when people seek to make a change. You will feel great about accepting a counter offer in the beginning, but often the very reasons you started seeking out new opportunities will resurface after the excitement of the counter offer has worn off.
A few things you might consider before accepting a counter offer:
- Counter offers are band aid solutions to your wounds that will reopen.
- What is your value when a job offer from a potential new employer is required to force the hand of your current employer to make your situation better?
- A counter offer is forced; would recognition of your work, an increase in pay, or promotion have happened had you not forced the issue with a new offer.
- Consider there is nobody else with your skill, and the project deadline is nearing. The company will wine and dine you to remain on board, but you have displayed disloyalty that your current employer will not soon forget.
- Does the reason you wanted to leave still exist?
- Your boss may sincerely want to make your situation better, and may value you as a true asset. Remember, this is one individual who is probably in your same situation and they do not have the power and control to change the whole company, its policies, and procedures.
The best companies will not submit to a “counteroffer” demand, nor will they proactively offer one because they are managed well with fair policies and good working conditions at all times.
While there were many reasons why you wanted to leave your old job, remember those reasons do not disappear with a counteroffer. Be mindful of the many reasons why you wanted the opportunity with your new company too.
When you resign, you must maintain control of the situation. A written resignation is official and keeps you in control.
There is a big misconception that a high unemployment rate provides a collection of available, skilled, elite technical professionals. Although the unemployment rate is higher than usual, recruiting and attracting top talent is still quite a challenge in this market. Companies increasingly require workers who bring expertise from different areas along with the intangible communication and leadership type skills. Despite massive layoffs, companies still struggle to find top technical talent.
As the market breeds insecurity, the talented individuals most companies would like to attract remain gainfully employed, and they are not driven to make changes to uncertain opportunities unless highly incentivized.
There is a false impression in the market place that a tight job market allows room to negotiate down on salary. In most circumstances the greatest talents are not actively looking for new opportunities, and they have no desire or motivation to make a career change that involves a decrease in vacation, benefits, stock, and pay. Most will remain with their existing employer in what is perceived as a secure environment, and utilize offers to leverage counter offers versus stepping in with an unknown entity. Unfortunatley when a candidates does take a pay cut, we often see them depart their new employer for higher compensation fairly quickly when the market turns around.
To attract and retain top talent, the elite must be courted. The process must move quickly, to avoid interruptions, counter offers, or other unknown derailments. Neither candidates nor employers want to walk through the entire interview process or navigate busy schedules when there is no ability to come to terms in final stages. Salary requirements must be defined up front and in advance, and agreed upon prior to any activity. A clear expectation for both candidates and potential employers is the only way to proceed so that everyone is on the same page.
PERITO ELEVEN HAS A NEW WEBSITE DESIGN
We are totally stoked about our new website and our new logo. Prior to this website, we had a simple site created at the inception of Perito Eleven. This new site will allow quick access to our most current openings and direct access to the relevant recruiter. The new website will provide a forum for industry discussions, to announce new opportunities, promotions, career moves, advertise our niche, and whatever else comes to mind.
Our goal was to keep the site simple, but professional and fun with an interactive and informative design that would bring value and enjoyment to our audience, but without taking ourselves too seriously.
THE HEADHUNTER LOGO EXPLANATION!
A little insight into how we came up with the new logo. The term “Headhunter” is a term often used to refer to recruiters. At some point in staffing industry history the term was exchanged for “Recruiter” which is now used industry wide. We decided to embrace our roots and create a “headhunter character” as our logo. We came up with a cartoonish version of a tribal chief, polished off with a tie. We believe a headhunter represents the work we do each day and coming up with a recruiter character would have been impossible. In the early staffing years Headhunters did not have access to job boards or many of the technology resources widely available today.
Headhunters had to rely on their own resources and truly hunt for candidates through creativity, resourcefulness, lots of cold calling and using a ruse to get to the appropriate contact person. Headhunters had to know their clients competitors and have unique insight, ability, and tactics to identify, approach, track, and engage potential candidates in times when professionals rarely made career moves and often spent their entire careers with only one company.
We hope we’ve accomplished our goal in creating a site that isn’t too stuffy or uptight, that is simple, professional, inviting, and that provides insight in to our ability, bandwidth, opportunities, and niche.
LET’S STAY IN TOUCH
LinkedIn: Send us an invite zina@peritoeleven.com & edwin@peritoeleven.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/peritoeleven
Blog: Watch daily for updated blogs with special announcements, hot new opportunities, rants and raves.
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