For job seekers, it may feel like you can use December to take a break in your job search, but you absolutely should not. It’s almost the end of 2013, so it’s time to make these last few weeks count. One month is plenty of time to set some short term goals and see them through. You may even get to bring in the New Year with a new job.
Here are eight things you can accomplish in your job search before the end of the year:
1. Subscribe to 1-3 industry publications. Look for blogs, magazines, and other publications specific to your industry. For example, PR News and Mashable are popular in the public relations industry. Subscribe to daily or weekly email updates (or something along those lines) from a few of the publications in your industry to keep up with the latest news and trends.
2. Learn one new hard skill. With new technology every day, you will never be finished learning new hard skills. Dedicate the last month of this year to learning one new skill. If you’re still a student, your university can probably provide you with the materials you need. If not, there are lots of tutorials online for learning new skills and software. Look for something that will benefit your job search and get started.
3. Polish your resume. As the year winds down, take some time to reflect on the things you’ve accomplished this year. New jobs and internships, surpassing goals for projects you worked on, and leading teams are all great experiences to add to your resume. You never know when you’ll meet someone who wants to help you land a job. It’s important to make sure your resume is always up to date.
4. Attend one mock interview. If you have the means, it’s a good idea to set up a pretend job interview. These won’t have specific industry-related questions, but they’re great for practicing your answers to the most common job interview questions. Your interviewer will be able to point out your strengths and weaknesses, so you can improve before the real thing.
Goals 5-8 and the complete Glassdoor article
Here are eight things you can accomplish in your job search before the end of the year:
1. Subscribe to 1-3 industry publications. Look for blogs, magazines, and other publications specific to your industry. For example, PR News and Mashable are popular in the public relations industry. Subscribe to daily or weekly email updates (or something along those lines) from a few of the publications in your industry to keep up with the latest news and trends.
2. Learn one new hard skill. With new technology every day, you will never be finished learning new hard skills. Dedicate the last month of this year to learning one new skill. If you’re still a student, your university can probably provide you with the materials you need. If not, there are lots of tutorials online for learning new skills and software. Look for something that will benefit your job search and get started.
3. Polish your resume. As the year winds down, take some time to reflect on the things you’ve accomplished this year. New jobs and internships, surpassing goals for projects you worked on, and leading teams are all great experiences to add to your resume. You never know when you’ll meet someone who wants to help you land a job. It’s important to make sure your resume is always up to date.
4. Attend one mock interview. If you have the means, it’s a good idea to set up a pretend job interview. These won’t have specific industry-related questions, but they’re great for practicing your answers to the most common job interview questions. Your interviewer will be able to point out your strengths and weaknesses, so you can improve before the real thing.
Goals 5-8 and the complete Glassdoor article
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