Leveraging Your Winter Break For Your Career - CareerAlley

Leveraging Your Winter Break For Your Career - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. As the November moustaches are shed and the winter holidays loom around the corner, its time to start thinking about how to leverage the holiday break for your job-search. Whether youre a student or already a part of the working world, the holiday season always gives us a little time to kick back and relax after a gruelling working term. In the interest of ones mental health, this precious time free of obligations should undoubtedly be savoured. That being said, it also provides the perfect opportunity to explore career options, network, and apply to those positions that have been taking the backseat to your day to day work obligations. Utilizing the time off to de-stress and take advantage of the holiday party circuit can actually help you move forward in the job search. Think of it as an opportunity to readdress your career goals and get some quality networking in through casual settings. NETWORK Holiday parties? Family get togethers? Cocktail soirees? Youre going to spend your time socializing whether you like it or not, take this opportunity to ask questions and connect with people in various fields. Whether its new graduates who recently been through the job hunt or an old cranky relative with years of experience find out how they wound up on their current career path. Regardless of what you think you want to do, taking advantage of the various experience and talents of those around you is an invaluable chance to broaden your horizons and develop rapport with professionals. On a side note: In the interest of your health and dignity, limit your eggnog intake! A slurring candidate is not necessarily a desirable candidate. TACKLE YOUR JOB-SEARCH TO DO LIST Remember all those cover letter emails you meant to send? The job boards youve bookmarked but have yet to browse through? While the internet has revolutionized the job-search, the process can still feel daunting and overwhelming. What starts as a few easy clicks turns into hours of stress. Create a checklist with a manageable timeline and tackle the tasks youve been putting off. Setting aside the time to address the digital communication and searching youve been procrastinating is one of the easiest ways to alleviate stress and promote the self confidence needed in going forward. LEARN A SKILL Have more time on your hands than you think? You would be surprised by what skills you can develop and hone over a few weeks with an internet connection, knowledgable friends and family, or some old fashioned elbow grease. With the increasing availability of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), you can learn nearly any University level course offerings at no cost. Check out Coursera and Udacity to brush up on familiar concepts or explore new ones. There are plenty of resources out there, look up the jobs your interested and research the kind of skills they require. While mastery in a new skill can not be expected in such a short period, the willingness and ability to learn autonomously is a desirable trait appreciated by Employers. GAIN EXPERIENCE For the most ambitious among you, take the chance to pursue real life experience in the time off. Contact companies to schedule informational interviews to explore your options and ask about the opportunity to shadow professionals with likeminded interests. Take advantage of the short-term commitment that can make a big impact informing your job-search later on. Still dont have any idea what you want to do? Dont be discouraged and still take the time to explore; trying different experiences plays a big part in the self awareness required to identify aspects that you do excel in. VOLUNTEER Tis the season to lend a hand and give your time to a charity or volunteer program that could always use more help. Not only is volunteering a good way to give back and gain perspective, its also a great activity to put on your resume. Check out your local shelters and non-profit organizations and see what you can do to help out and contribute. For more great advice on how be proactive about your career follow Emilys tips on the Jobbook Blog. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook