Just think of all the people out there in need of a job who are thankful today -- thankful that the holiday season is upon us and they have a built-in excuse as to why they can slack off on their job searches.
And you can be thankful they are taking that approach because it leaves the field open to you and others who'll make good use of the five weeks ahead.
Sure, there is an impression that not many employers interview or hire this time of year. And, indeed, plenty of people have been job hunting for some time with no luck. But have you seen the new state Labor Department job numbers? The ones that speak to employment gains in industries both on Long Island and in New York City?
Certainly there are weak spots -- financial services being one of them. And we are far from the days when job hunters were steering the bus -- when employers offered candidates a bonus for just filling in an application or lured them with perks like pet insurance or workplace nap rooms.
But Labor's numbers signal that some year-end interviewing and hiring will be going on this year right along with all the shopping, wrapping and caroling.
Going into this season, "our problem is in finding great candidates," says Anne Maxfield, president of Project Solvers, a Manhattan staffing firm for the apparel/retail industry. Employers are "gearing up to start hiring," and she's seeing opportunities in areas such as design and pattern making, especially in the urban street-wear lines.
So if you've been job hunting for a while, now is no time to take a break with the idea of pushing activities to the first of the year. That causes you to lose momentum, says Joseph Agovino, an outplacement consultant.
And to make a culinary comparison, we all know how painful it is to jump back on the carrot-stick wagon after the cookie/brownie/buche-de-Noel fall. Agovino will be leading a "Beat the Holiday Blues" workshop Dec. 6 at the Suffolk County One-Stop Employment Center in Hauppauge.
At this time of year, he says, some employers actually have money left in this year's budget to spend, so they are looking to hire right away. Others have funds earmarked for 2005, and guess who'll have the best chance at those jobs when the red light turns green on Jan. 3 -- those whose resumes already are on the bosses' desks. Those, perhaps, who will have made contact at one of the many holiday events in the coming weeks.
Along those lines, Agovino stresses the importance of one of the basic rules of networking -- not blanketing the room with your resume or asking people directly for jobs. Yes, that sounds counterintuitive, but it puts people on the spot, and they don't like it. Better to establish friendly contact and ask for information on any growth they may have heard of in your field. Also get the names of anyone else you might call to ask for advice or information.
To find such events, check out the Web site of your professional association, as well as event listings posted online or in local publications.
And if you've been trying to do this search on your own, check in with one of the many one-stop career centers in the area. (You can find them by calling 877-348-0502 or check www.workforcenewyork.com.) These centers, funded by your tax dollars, provide job search resources, workshops and direct links with employers.
This is a good time to do preparatory work, says Leonard Battle, executive director of the Workforce 1 Career Center in Downtown Brooklyn. You can attend workshops on subjects such as networking, resume writing and business writing. Or take a class in teller training that's being offered as a service with HSBC and the Urban Bankers Coalition.
Right now the Brooklyn center sees a big need for retail workers and security guards. And employment specialists there are collecting resumes for film, production, catering and security jobs at the new Steiner Studios complex that will be opening this winter at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Romane Desinor, 32, of Flatbush is one job hunter who plans to keep plugging away. Sure, he says, he would love to kick back for a week or two. And if those unemployment insurance checks were not going to end, he just might. But he says he does not have the financial wherewithal to even think of taking a break.
In his search for office services or administration work, this former purchasing order administrator has been coming to the Brooklyn center four or five days a week, using the computers, phones, fax machines and counseling.
He's been hearing about the improved job market but says he hasn't been "one of the fortunate ones who have prospered from that yet. I'm still waiting for my number to be picked." And he knows the best strategy, despite the disappointments and depressing moments, is to keep getting his name out there. "I'm not at liberty to fold up shop."
This also is a good time to reconnect with contacts you've made. That's a strategy suggested at the Five O'Clock Club, a Manhattan career coaching network and outplacement firm that offers in-person and virtual job search groups.
Because it's easy to "fall off the radar screen," job hunters there are advised to follow up with those in their Rolodexes or Palms, sending reminders of who they are, what they do and what they're looking for. Job hunters also hear the story of one member who at this time of year sent out a gratitude e-mail, which sparked a contact to pass his resume along, which led to an interview and a job.
This time of year it's actually easier to get in front of hiring managers -- folks who ordinarily would be off on business trips, says Richard Bayer, chief operating officer of the Five O'Clock Club.
So, there you have it: strong glimmers of more opportunity, less competition, easier access. "It's a great time to be preparing, because January is coming," says Rick Hanse, who oversees the Suffolk County One-Stop Center. And he reminds us that even though job hunters may have been working hard, "a monthlong vacation now is not a good idea."
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