Job Hunting over Holiday Week

Q: Should I suspend my search over the holiday week? I have been told that the week around Christmas and the New Year are worthless for job hunters. True?

A: I agree and disagree. The coming week is slow as many decision-makers are traveling or taking time off. However, this is a great time to network! For those of us still working, the pace is a bit slower. Colleagues are scooting out to buy a last-minute gift or having lunch with their team members. This translates to some professionals being more accessible and open to accepting an invitation for coffee or lunch.

Come January, the employment market heats up. There is a "back to work" focus and you want to be ready for that. There may be jobs suddenly approved that one of your contacts becomes aware of. It would be ideal for these contacts to have a fresh recollection of you, your professional skills and your employment history. I predict January, 2015 will be especially brisk since we have seen an improving employment market for several months and January is when new roles are often approved.

A lot of recruiters will be mining Linkedin for talent but they won't post a new role until 2015. Many job seekers put their active search on hold for the holiday season and then re-engage in January.

It is a smart time to ask others to review your resume or invite a hard-to-reach contact out for a quick cup of coffee. Some may have a bit more flexibility in their schedules than they will in January. In January, few will enjoy a leisurely schedule.

Finally, I would never suspend your job search entirely. I would, however, focus on building your contacts.

Pattie Hunt Sinacole is a human resources expert and works for First Beacon Group in Hopkinton, an HR consulting firm. She contributes weekly to Boston.com Jobs and the Boston Sunday Globe Money & Careers section. Click here to read about more employment topics in The Job Doc Blog at Boston.com.