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Health & Fitness

Good News for Job Seekers: Job Openings Increase in Q4 - Get Networking!

Autumn brings good news for job seekers: openings always increase in October, November and December, and the "holiday months" are some of the busiest months for interviews and offers.

There’s good news for job seekers: openings always cycle up in October, November and December, and the “holiday months” are some of the busiest months for interviews and offers. Why is this?  Because businesses that want to expand a department or create a new role have to budget for that position in the August/September budget cycle, and their approved headcount increases become effective January 1.

From large corporations to nonprofits to small businesses, November and December are busy months for bringing in candidates and having someone lined up, ready to fill that chair in the new year.  I've been producing a Job Bank for the local marketing and creative industry for 8 years, and every fall there's an uptick in openings in the fourth quarter.  Smart job seekers don’t pack it in for the holidays, they keep networking, attending industry events, asking for informational interviews, and searching the online job boards. 

A great week to pursue one-on-one meetings are - surprise - the workdays following Christmas, because if folks are in the office it’s the slowest week of the year (unless your target works in the accounting department)!  No one has trade association lunches, department meetings or proposals due.  There’s generally not that much going on – making it easier to land on someone’s calendar for that lunch, coffee or brief informational/networking meeting.   

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Smart job seekers know that being “out and about” increases the number of people who remember your qualifications when they hear about a possible job opening.  I call it “strategic product placement:” you need to meet new people who, while they might not have a position available, can be an advocate for you in your search.  Make sure you’re attending events within your professional field this fall, to boost the advocates who can keep you in mind…and don’t stop in November or December, either.

More Good Career News. Cleveland just earned the #2 spot as one of the Top 10 Cities to Start a Career by the Huffington Post's College Internet Newspaper

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CareerRookie and Apartments.com ranked the best cities for young professionals based on each city's population of young adults between the ages of 20 and 24, number of jobs requiring less than a year of experience and the average rent of a one-bedroom apartment.  New Haven, CT was first, Cleveland was second, and Boston and Denver claimed the 3rd and 4th place.

Kelly Blazek shares job search and work success tips from the corporate front lines in her Job Search House Mother blog at http://kellyblazek.wordpress.com. She is available for presentations to groups on job searching, and also one-on-one resume review consultations for job seekers.

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