Importance of Keeping Up The Graduate Job Search Over Christmas

Christmas is the time to wind down, tuck into mince pies and drink copious amounts of mulled wine at the Christmas markets. So whilst everyone else is chilling out by the fire, how are you supposed to stay motivated to continue to look for graduate jobs when your graduation is over 6 months away??

In truth, the festive season can be the perfect time to maximise your job search. With most Universities closing mid-December, the four week break can get a little tedious. The extra time is an ideal time to prepare applications, search for jobs and perfect your interview skills.
So, what are the three key benefits of keeping productive over the yuletide slump?

Extra Time

Keeping up your job search can be an excellent excuse to avoid all of the menial chores that your parents nag you to do whilst your back. Being dedicated to your future is your ultimate ‘get out of jail free card’ but make sure you use the time wisely. It’s unlikely that there will be lots of new job updates over the festive season but being able to dedicate a significant amount of time to a select few applications will increase the quality and hopefully the success of the applications.

Networking Events

Take advantage of the merriment and attend networking events in your sector. Networking events can be the ideal time to speak to influential people and key stakeholders in companies that you are interested in working in. It is also the perfect time to chat to recruiter’s informally on social media as this is a slow period for those in the recruitment industry. Having a recruiter helping you in your job search can take a weight off your shoulders and have them do a lot of the hard work for you.

We also constantly underestimate the power of our friends and family network. Seeing Uncle Bob who you didn’t realise worked in the same sector as you’re interested in, or finding out that Jeffrey’s wife down the road is a head of HR can all be really valuable contacts and a potential goldmine for jobseekers.

January Deadlines

January is a key deadline in the Graduate recruitment calendar. A lot of big businesses close applications towards the end of the month, so if you haven’t got your application in over the festive season it’s likely you’ll arrive back to study weeks and have no time to give it your all. Ensure you get your applications completed in between the hangovers and gorging on leftover Terry’s Chocolate Orange.

 

Hannah Ryle – Employer Brand Consultant

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