While the holidays might seem like a slow period for hiring, career experts say the season also presents an opportunity for job applicants to make an impression.

虽然假期看起来是求职的缓慢期,但是职场专家说假期也是求职者给雇主留下深刻印象的好机会。

"Around the holidays, many job seekers are preoccupied with family gatherings and other distractions that keep them away from their searches," says Shawn Graham, author of "Courting Your Career" and director of MBA career services at the University of Pittsburgh. "As a result, the volume of applications for non-seasonal work is often lighter -- and that gives you, as a candidate, a greater chance of being seen."

匹兹堡大学的MBA职业发展办公室的主任以及《追求你的职业》一书的作者Shawn Graham说:“在假期时间,很多求职者都因为家庭聚会或其他的事情使他们在求职上分心。最后的结果就是产生了非季节性的工作职位空缺,而这会让身为求职者的你有很大的机会表现自己。”

Adds Mary Rosenbaum, a career coach and personal branding strategist at Your Career by Design, "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."

“Your Career by Design,”公司的职业教练兼个人品牌策略师Mary Rosenbaum补充说:“大部分公司都会在第四季度制定战略规划,并且会招聘更多适合他们下一年战略目标实现的候选人。”

Industries that use a bonus structure, like legal or financial firms, also anticipate turnover during the first quarter, because some employees leave after collecting their annual bonus.

采用奖金制度的公司,比如法律或金融公司,也会在第一季度做营业额的预算,因为很多职员都会在拿到年度奖金之后离职。

So, how can job seekers stand out during the holiday season? Here are four ways to start:

所以,求职者怎么样在假期脱颖而出呢?以下四个方法教你如何开始:

Call during off hours.

在下班时间致电。

"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," says Graham. "Recruiters could use that time to give applicants of interest a longer look."

“因为假期将近,在办公室或不在办公室的人,以及上班的人都会利用下班时间来赶计划。招聘人员可能会用下班时间给有兴趣的候选人更长的应聘时间。” Graham如是说。

Since support staff may be out of the office, job seekers have a better chance of reaching an actual hiring manager or recruiter. One of the ways Graham suggests reaching 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.

因为助理人员可能没上班,所以求职者有更好的机会见到实际招聘经理或招聘人员。Graham推荐的一个方法就是,如果你想找到不是在繁忙之中或会议中的经理的话,那就在上班之前或5点之后给他打电话吧。

Avoid holiday gimmicks.

不要耍假期小聪明

Some job seekers use cutesy 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. But Graham and Rosenbaum warn that these gimmicks can backfire.

有的求职者为了引起招聘者的注意,会想一些做作的主意,比如在发送求职信的时候附送一篮圣诞饼干或用假日纸张打印简历。但是Graham 和Rosenbaum都警告说这些小聪明可能会起反作用。

"I'm not a fan of the holiday-inspired gimmick ploys," says Graham. "It's better to be more conservative. Make sure the content of your email is written persuasively and impact fully." By focusing on your skills rather than gimmicks, you also won't have to worry about offending people who celebrate different holidays.

Graham说:“我不支持耍假日噱头伎俩。保守一点还是比较好的。要确保你的邮件内容有说服力、能起到作用。”将求职重点放在你的技能上而不是耍小聪明上,另外,你也不想冒犯那些庆祝的节日不同的人。

Use events to build relationships, not beg for a job.

用活动来搞好关系,而不是恳求别人施舍你工作

Holiday parties, end-of-the-year conferences, and other events all afford opportunities for networking. But 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.

假日聚会、年终会议、以及其他相关事情都为简历关系网提供了机会。求职者也可以邀请他们想要结交的或想要进一步搞好关系的人来参加假日餐饮聚会,因为人们在一年中的这个时期都会更加变得社交化。

"Get people together for holiday drinks at Joe's Pub or something," suggests Rosenbaum. "The idea right now 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." She adds that if you're unsure about someone's holiday traditions, you can simply offer their family your best.

“假日的时候,邀请大家一起来乔伊酒吧或其他地方喝喝茶。” Rosenbaum建议说。“如今的想法是有更多的见面时间来建立关系。如今,你在假期要做的事情就是,找机会以一种更加平等的地位和他们建立联系。”她还补充说如果你对某个人的假日习惯不确定的话,你可以为他们整个家庭提供最好的假日活动。

Don't lose focus.

贵在坚持

Staying motivated during the holidays could give you can edge over those applicants who put their search on hold. According to Graham, "The biggest thing is to keep at it. Around the holidays, it's easy to get caught up in all the distractions. Set aside that time every day and continue to look for opportunities."

在假期保持热情可以让你从那些在此期间没找工作的求职者中胜出。根据Graham的建议:“最重要的事情是要坚持下去。在假期期间,很容易就被其他事情分心。每天计划好这些时间,其余时间继续找工作。”

Says Rosenbaum, "The idea is for people not to assume that because it's the holiday season that they shouldn't redouble their efforts. This is a really good time of year. People are much more willing to go out for drinks and spend a little more time. Use this time to forge relationships, not just look for the job."

Rosenbaum说:"本文的观点是针对那些没有觉得是假期就不应该加倍努力的求职者的。这确实是一年中的最好时机。人们都更愿意走出来喝点东西或呆久一点。要利用这段时间来加强人际关系,而不仅仅是找工作。"

 

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