This was also published on AnnArbor.com

Your job hunting should not stop during the holidays. I have heard others say – “no one is hiring”, “no one is in the office”, “the budgets are exhausted”. All of these are holiday job hunting myths.

Image Credit: Robert S. Donovan -flickr CC

No one is hiring. To be honest this one is easily dispelled by a quick view of open job opportunities. There are a lot of them out there, keep looking.

No one is in the office.
Of course there are people still working in the offices – companies don’t completely shut down except a few days a year – as a matter of fact many times the decision makers are in the office and the gatekeepers are out on vacation. So don’t let this myth stop you from trying to get your foot in the door.

The budgets for jobs are exhausted.
Part fact – part fiction, the budget for 2010 is likely to be exhausted but smart managers already know their budget starting in January and they are probably posting those jobs now in December. Start now while fewer job seekers are trying to find jobs, competition is intense starting in January – see what you can do now in December to stand out in the pool of applicants.

Some other tips for job hunting through the holidays:

Don’t lose focus – one of the main reasons I recommend job hunting during the holiday is that it helps you to stay on task and it helps to keep you motivated. Those that take the holiday off have to restart their job hunting engines in January, you are one step ahead of them.

Go to networking events – there are a lot of events this time of the year – keep a smile on your face, have a business card ready and make some new friends.

Re-connect with old friends. Wish them a happy holiday, see if you can get together for coffee.

Send your recruiters a note or a holiday card – try to make it generic – not everyone celebrates Christmas or Channukah. Even just a thank-you card this time of year is nice.

Lastly, this is a good time to update your online self – make sure your online message about who you are is fresh and good looking for a great new year. Review your LinkedIn profile (if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile – sign up today), put your name through various search engines and make sure that the page one results reflect all good things about you!