This is Hiring Season

This is hiring season. Every year I find out that many of you are less active – or not active at all – in your job search in November and December, especially between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. If I hear from you, it goes something like this, “Dave, I’ve been looking for a while and I’m kind of burned out on job search, so I need a break; besides, no one’s hiring around the holidays anyway.”

Have you had thoughts and feelings similar to this?

No one is hiring around the holidays? In the battlefield of the mind, the Father of Lies wants to you to think this way. Friends, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH! On the contrary, many executive recruiters have a higher quota in December than in any other month.

If a company’s fiscal year is the same as the calendar year, budgets are formulated and approved in September and October. Imagine a plant manager finally getting approval in FY2020 for a much-needed new position – let’s say it’s a plant engineer. Candidates are screened, interviewed and offered jobs in November and December. They start their new jobs on the first business day of January.

Satan would love it if you put your search on hold for seven weeks!

Is your competition interviewing for jobs that you’re qualified for while you’re out spending money you don’t have? Will they be starting a new job on Thursday 2 January 2020 because you were out shopping, or doing projects around the house, or unwinding because of all the stress of your job search?

Companies are hiring right now.

Every year several JobSeekers start new jobs in January because they didn’t sit on the sidelines in November and December. Get in the game now. Today is a workday. You have a full-time job right now – with deferred compensation!

In 2003, for instance, Dave Tripp went home to Kansas for Thanksgiving. He came back with a job offer. Andy Whitlock, leader of the job ministry in Newnan, interviewed for a job the week before Christmas and again on New Year’s Eve; he got the offer within a week. He said, “And I thought the holidays were going to be quiet.”

In 2004 Henry Gregorich went to a company Christmas party; he seized the opportunity to do some job networking and made a great impression on a gentleman who called a couple of weeks later to see if Henry was still looking. He was, and the gentleman offered him a job. Don Apking, Randy Coggin and Ken King also wrote to me late in December to inform me of their new position.

In 2005. Mark Foote, Cliff Barrett, Dennis Szczepanski, Patrick Bauer and Kelly Carroll accepted jobs in the last two weeks of December.

In 2006, Bobby Rose, Bruce Brzoska, Heidi Lesser, Alan Millsaps, Richard Rodriguez, George Smith and Chris Clark interviewed for and/or accepted a job between 13 December and the end of the year. If they had been sitting on the sidelines in December, they’d still be looking for a job in January.

In 2007, between 11/15/2007 and 1/17/2008 (64 days) I received 26 “I got a job” emails, plus some others verbally – one every other day. In fact, eight of the emails arrived between January 3rd and 7th. Wes Hill received three offers in one week. Mike Fowler received a job offer while we were at the Atlanta Bread Company; he’d been unemployed less than five weeks. Aaron Royster interviewed for a job on December 26th; yes, the day after Christmas! He started on January 14th. Don’t sit on the sidelines this season.

In 2008, we had 20 people get jobs in October. Phil Kelley landed a job on November 3rd. This was followed closely by John Thomas, Adrian Neeley, Don Menke, Cynthia Stallworth, Gordon Brown, Pete Wallace, Kelly Sigmon, Donald Augustus and Matt Dukes.

Matt wrote, “Staying in the hunt during the holiday season does pay off. I found this job through an evening newsletter that I get through The FENG (Financial Executive’s Networking Group). I happened to see the posting in the job leads section that appeared on the last newsletter that I would get for 2008. I applied to the position on Christmas Eve, had a phone interview on the 26th and an in-person interview on New Year’s Eve. Before I had left the office on the 31st, I was offered the position and, of course, gladly accepted. I started here on January 5th.”

In 2009, I received 17 emails from people who accepted jobs between 15 November and 15 January: Able Vega, Alan Sibley, Ann Cook, Beth Mulhern, Caitlin Hall-West, Chris Westberry, Dave Bayer, Dennis Szczepanski, Donna Cook, Doug Flatt, Ed Mackiewicz, Mary Reintz, Mike Murtaugh, Norma Manuel, Rolea Palomares, Rose Humphrey and Shelia Garza. One of these 17 people got a $20K raise – yes, back when the unemployment rate was 9.9%.

In 2010, we had our second-best year with 21 people: Jeff Boggs, Pat Behrens, Wade Massengill, Stephen Bachmann, Norm Van Horn, Rodger Purdy, Charmaine Barton, Terri Dull, Matt Iffland, Donna Anderson, Lisa Brown, Gary McDougal, Bert Jermain, Kevin Askew, Kevin Edwards, Dayanara Reyes, Mark Cuneo, Scott Armbrust, Forrest Simmons and David Long.

In 2011, 16 people emailed me during this 60-day period: Joe De Sieno, Cindy Van Wert, Bill Tucker, Travis Raitt, Hans Nielsen, John Bell, Bryan Bear, Paul Johnson, Pat Ebersole, Carl Bissantz, Don Shoaf, Jasmina Jovic, Jeff Liddy, Paul Dickinson, John Roland and Linda Mackey. Carl started his new job on 27 December. Jeff and Bryan had two offers each. I started working with Paul Dickinson as a client on 13 December. He started a new job 28 days later.

In 2012, 13 people emailed me with their good news: Carolina Segovia, Patrick James, Joycelyn Avila, Hollise Bello, Marie Griffies, Rich Braun, Lee Longe, Angela Tavarez, Mike Grimes, Rosie Dove, Carl Bissantz, Richard Hardin and Ken Roberts. The last two started on January 7. Two had a search of 40 days or less. Don’t sit on the sidelines during the hiring season.

In 2013, the final tally for the hiring season (64 days beginning 15 November) was 32. That was a new record, PTL. Congratulations to Alfreda, Andrew, Annette, Bo, Bobby, Bryan, Cheryl, Dan, Daniela, David, Ed, Elaine, Greg, Heather, Jeff, Joel, Kathy, Keith, Kenny, Michael, Mike, Muraya, Pamela, Patrick, Rick, Ruben, Scott, Scott, Tanesha, Tommy, Trevor, and Zaffar!

In 2014, the final tally was 39 another new world record: Janine Scott-Ford, Debora Nash, Darryl Mullins, Tom McCutchen, Tim Forse, Stacy York, Dave Tripp, Sonja Sleeper, Jessica Spain, Dean Dunton, Daniel Garcia, Jessica Palazzolo, Ed Mackiewicz, Jim Rudolph, Bryan Warren, Mike Knippel, Alan Burks, Brenden St. John, Darlene Crawley, Nicole Spangler, Eric Miller, Carrie Toth, Valerie Baldowski, Philip Vaughn, Dave Lowry, Emelyn East, Elaine Feinblum, Sharleen Oetting, Adrian Gillies, Jim Goodart, Bill Kendrick, Lecia Laswell, Donna Osbourn, John Chandler, Christian Garcia, Robert Kirby, Stacey Stoykewich, Andrea Brzoska, Charlie Jackson.

In 2015, the final tally was 28: Alex Rogers, Andi Shen, Bob Bennett, Chris Fedelem, Dan Tennet, Dana Chitwood, Daniel Boccella, Deborah Jackson, Diana Davis, Drew Spangler, Holly Rafford, Jim Gillespie, Joyce Webb, Karen Gomes, Kate Williams, Kevin Newman, Larry Beuerlein, Lindsay Quandt, Marilyn Robinson, Michael Henson, Paula Bartlett, Rachel Hess, Richard Scarlett, Rusty Ortkiese, Stephanie Taylor, Sydney Maxwell, Tim Robinson, Tom McCutchen.

The last three years, I didn’t track this. I was too darn busy. I won’t track it this year either. What I do notice from employers here in 2019 is a genuine surge in optimism. That means more j-o-b-s.

Don’t sit on the sidelines during the hiring season.

Let’s make this year the best year ever!

Are you equipped for hiring season?

One key concern I have is that you think you have good tools to fight this battle. No you don’t. I’ve seen your résumés. You’re good at what you do – but you’ve got lousy résumés. You’re going onto the battlefield with a butter knife. You think you have a B-1 bomber; you don’t even have a bazooka – or even a bayonet. If you’d like me to rate your résumé as a butter knife, bayonet, bazooka, or B-1 bomber, just email your résumé to me and I’ll offer my professional opinion.

More open positions, fewer active seekers.

And one more piece of good news: as the number of open positions increases during the holiday season, the number of job seekers who are actively looking decreases – because of the false assumption mentioned in the first paragraph above.

Yes, you can get a job if you use the strategy, tools and skills we teach – and top it off with a positive attitude. Is it tough out there in the battlefield? Yes, but with God’s help you can do it. All you need is ONE job. Don’t sit on the sidelines this season.

Here are three things I challenge you to do as the holidays approach:

1. Work on your search 24/7.

Work hard. Work smart. Always be on the lookout for networking opportunities. Don’t make a mistake that will cost you two months’ pay. What would God want you to do ? Sit on the sidelines or look for a job? Look again at Proverbs 3:5-6 from The Message: “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” Notice the phrase, “in everything you do.” It implies action, not passivity.

2. Be joyful always, even when money it tight.

Don’t spend beyond your means. Set a good example for your kids and others. What better time to show that your happiness is not rooted in what you have or in what great (expensive) presents you can give? Your happiness comes from the spirit of the living God. I think of Paul’s words in Philippians 4:10-12: “I rejoice greatly in the Lord … I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

3. Bring joy to others, especially those who are not connected to you.

God desires a sacrifice of our time, talents and treasure. When money is tight, you can still give of your time and talents. We are God’s hands and feet, so put them to work. Back to Paul’s words; this time in Philippians 2:3-4: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

I close with this blessing from Paul: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

See you at JobSeekers on Friday, where we rejoice year-round – whether we are employed or not.

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