Working Strategies: When the holidays stall your job search

If you believe the holidays are a tough time to seek work, I absolutely agree, and I’m writing this column for you. Although I’ll admit, maybe not from the perspective you’d imagine.

The perspective I’m not writing from is the one that says you can’t really job search in December because employers are distracted, or gone on vacation.

In this line of thinking, the last half of November is also tricky, along with the first week of January. Summer months could fall into this camp, too, when some businesses slow down and hiring managers have their kids home to boot.

By this reckoning, there would be seven or eight weeks around the holidays and another eight or 10 weeks during the summer when job search is bad, or maybe about five months in all.

Could that be right? No, luckily, it’s not. Hiring goes on year-round, even when you can’t tell it’s happening. One reason we might think otherwise is that employers sometimes delay their postings, partly on the assumption that job seekers won’t be as attentive during some parts of the year.

As you can see, the employer side of the equation might create a chicken-and-egg conundrum, in terms of how visible they make their openings. But what about the candidate side of the equation? From my experience, that’s where things get stalled, for reasons I’ll try to list as comprehensively as I can:

• Discouragement, bordering on (or becoming) depression. For most people, it’s just really awful to be unemployed at the holidays. And for some, it’s more than awful; it’s debilitating.

• Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is a condition in which the winter’s low sunlight and other seasonal factors make it difficult to function. Not surprisingly, more people suffer from SAD than are diagnosed.

• Family illness. There’s probably science around this, but does it seem like the people around you get sicker, quicker over the holidays? Kids are home from school, in-laws are visiting, and everyone has some new germs to share.

• Medical appointments. Having used up their deductible, it’s common for people to schedule medical appointments in December, including surgery, for themselves or family members.

• Seasonal “deadlines.” Are you traveling? Gift-shopping? Decorating? Whether these activities are joyous or exhausting or both, they come with deadlines that often feel absolute.

• General holiday chaos. Aside from perhaps weddings and funerals, there aren’t many events more disruptive than the holidays. It can be quite difficult to focus on basic tasks, much less a complex project like job search.

I know I’m missing some, but those six comprise the main things I see people juggling while trying to stay on track with their job search. I could add “gigging” for those who are working at the various pop-up jobs the holidays can bring. Religious and volunteer commitments also tend to multiply at this time of the year.

My point isn’t to assign job seekers the blame for a stalled search over the holidays. Nor am I going to say the obvious, which is that now could be an excellent time to search harder since other candidates might be opting out. (Oops, I said it.)

In truth, I just want to show compassion and encourage others to do the same. Whether you’re the person looking for work or you’re on the other side of the holiday table from that person, it’s good to remember there are reasons for a holiday slow-down on this process.

Instead of pressuring yourself (or others), I have a suggestion: Choose to let the search go for a specified period and just enjoy those days as guilt-free as you can. This year, both Christmas and New Years fall on Wednesdays, meaning much of the business world will be nearly dormant for two weeks. While understanding that hiring will continue at some level, there’s still a logic to pausing the job search process during that period.

What to do with this time instead? Basically, anything that brings you joy, recharges your batteries, reconnects you with people who support you, or just brings you calm.

What to say when people ask about your search? “I’m glad you asked; I really appreciate the support. I’m taking a break this week for the holidays but I’ll start again after New Year’s. I’ll keep you posted.”

Come back next week for a look at starting with fresh energy and ideas in the New Year, and enjoy your break in the meantime.

Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.