Everyone in my industry writes a list of things job seekers should do during the holiday. Here’s my “don’t” list for CFOs.
— Don’t neglect networking or drive away potential contacts between Thanksgiving and the New Year. Christmas parties are a great time to re-connect in a completely relaxed and non-defensive atmosphere. Don’t ruin future potential leads by ramming your business card or resume in their faces in social settings. That is not the time nor the place.
— Don’t introduce yourself as “unemployed” or “looking for a job” or as “currently in job search mode.” That is not who you are it is your current situation, and is not helpful to you or what new people are interested in knowing about you, at least initially.
— Don’t buy into the misconception that no hiring happens over the holidays (or during the summer). It does. So keep the pedal to the metal so, at minimum, you have momentum heading into the first of the year.
— Don’t wait until you lose your job before you think about your next position. To do so, negatively impacts your marketability and positioning more than you can imagine … until you have to defend why you’re now unemployed.
Oh, by the way, my “don’t list” for Chief Financial Officers looking for their next opportunity applies to anytime, not just the holidays.
Cindy,
Thank you for pointing these very important things out.
As a recruiter, I can cite experiences year after year of serious movement on opportunities happening over the holidays or in the summer.
What I can add to your very appropriate comments is that employers should be aware of the very same things. Employers should not just assume that because it is the holidays, they will not be able to fill their very important positions. As a matter of fact, great candidates (such as those that read your blog) are active and have more time to interview and have in depth discussions necessary to contemplate their next, best career move.
Enjoy the Holidays!
Samuel Dergel, CA, CPA, CPC
Senior Partner & Practice Leader, CFO Search
CFO2Grow
Website : http://www.cfo2grow.com
Blog: http://www.thefinancialstatement.com
LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/samueldergel
Twitter: @cfo2grow and @cfo2dergel
Great perspective from the recruiter side, Samuel! And I hope they listen because a poll in a recent SmartBrief for Careers indicated that 72.5% of responding companies had unfilled job openings. I find that curious given the unemployment rate.
Cindy,
I hope they listen too.
I’d be happy to share my perspective on why companies are having difficulty filling job openings.
Samuel