Firing up your job search in December! It may seem like a slow month, but now's the time to act!

It’s taking people an average of 34 weeks to find a job these days… But if you think December is not a good time to look with everyone focused on the holidays, think again. Now may be the perfect time to step up your search.
In between the trips to the mall to find just the right affordable gifts, take advantage of shopping for a job this month…

“You should be looking because it may look slow below the surface, but employers are making decision in December about who to bring in in January, and you have a much better chance of getting on their radar than when everybody is stampeding after a job in January,” says Kevin Donlin.

Donlin is the co-director of Guerilla Job Search International. He stopped by Channel 7 to help fire up your job search. He says hiring managers are often working late hours in December, so you have a good chance of reaching them.
As for the holiday parties taking place, if you’ve been invited to one, Donlin says look at it as an opportunity, without being pushy of course.

“You have to do your homework ahead of time, try to know who’s going to be there, so you can meet the people who may be able to be a help to you in your job search. Know what job you’re looking for and the value you would bring to that job so you can have intelligent conversations.

And if you happen to land an interview… after it’s over, you better say thank you… the old fashioned way!

“You must handwrite and mail a thank-you note to everybody you meet, from the receptionist to the hiring manager,” Donlin says. “Because everyone thinks email is okay for sending thank you notes, but everybody’s hurting in the job market right now, so do you want to be like everybody? No.”

You can find more of Donlin’s tips on his website, Guerilla Job Search International.