‘Tis the Season for Job Hunting

According to conventional wisdom, there's no worse time to search for a job than when the year is winding down. But sometimes conventional wisdom isn't entirely accurate.

The truth is that the end of the year may be the best time to find a new job. Here are five reasons why:

1. You face less competition. Buying into popular theory, many job seekers halt their quests for employment in November and December, choosing to save their efforts for when the calendar changes. But take a glimpse at the want ads, and you'll see that employers haven't stopped looking for talent. With fewer candidates vying for the same number of positions, you may have an edge over the competition, unlike no other time during the year.

2. More employers are hiring. Many firms, especially retail companies, increase their hiring efforts in winter to meet rising demand for their products and services. Even though seasonal jobs are often temporary, many hiring managers view these positions as extended, on-the-job interviews and offer full-time employment to promising hires.

3. Companies have budget surpluses. Some employers hire new workers at the end of the year because they have not yet used all of the funds they set aside earlier for adding new personnel. If the hiring managers don't increase headcount during the final two months, they may lose that portion of their budgets and be unable to bring aboard new employees at all.

4. It may be easier to secure an interview. Things often slow down at the end of the year due to vacations and the winter holidays. As a result, hiring managers may be less busy than usual and have more time to review your resume or call you in for an employment interview.

5. You'll get a jump on things. Even if some firms wait until the beginning of the year to add headcount, that doesn't mean they've stopped collecting resumes and considering candidates. By submitting your application materials now, you'll be first in line when the hiring process gets in full swing again.

As 2007 comes to a close, remember that employers are always on the lookout for strong professionals, especially in fields such as accounting and finance and information technology, where skilled workers are in short supply. That means there's no wrong time to look for your next job, no matter what conventional wisdom says.

By: Robert McCauley

Cracking the Job Listing Code

If you’ve ever looked at a job listing and thought, “I’d be perfect for this job, if only...,” you understand the discouragement a lot of job seekers feel.

When it comes to meeting the qualifications for a job, is there any flexibility? That depends on the employer, but in most cases, the answer is yes. Certainly, it helps to understand how your own experience and needs match up to what the employer wants and is willing to offer, which isn’t always an easy task, thanks to the obscure language typical of many job listings.

Here are some common job listing terms and what they really mean for job candidates.


“Preferred skills” and “Required skills”

“When a job listing says ‘required,’ it’s a lot firmer. Employers are trying to narrow the field,” says Tom Allen, director of career services at DeVry University in Decatur, Ga. A skill that’s listed as “preferred” is not necessarily essential for a candidate to have. In today’s competitive world, however, it’s unrealistic for employers to expect to get a candidate who meets all of their requirements, and employers may relax some of those requirements for a candidate who meets at least most of the requirements. “If you meet 50 to 60 percent of the qualifications, that’s probably not enough,” Allen says. “But if you’re pushing past 80 percent, you’ve got a good shot.”


“Command of” and “Working knowledge of”

If you have “working knowledge of” a certain program, you know the basics of how to operate that program; if you have “command of” a program, you have enough experience with it to be able to explain how it works and use it for more complex projects or a higher level of work.


“Entry-level” and “Experienced”

If a job posting indicates it’s an entry-level position, employers are typically looking for someone who has been out of college up to two years, Allen says. “Experienced” candidates usually have been working for three or more years in the industry or have graduate degrees, which can account for some work experience.


And then there’s the little matter of payment…

Confused by the terms like “competitive” or “scale”? When it comes to salary, research is essential. Online search sites like CBsalary.com provide the average salary for one’s profession, city and level of experience. By figuring out what the “competitive” salary for that job is, candidates can figure out their worth and put up an asking price that’s fair to both themselves and employers.

If an employer asks for salary requirements, Allen says it’s preferable to avoid it altogether, because if you name a salary that’s too low, you are selling yourself short; but if you give too high a number, you can automatically take yourself out of the running. The best way to avoid providing a requirement is to give a range – one that you can live with. Again, do your research beforehand.

There’s less wiggle room, however, when employers ask job seekers to provide salary histories. Because employers can easily verify a candidate’s history, it’s best to be up front about that, says Allen, who’s known some employers ask to see copies of W-2’s.

If you’re still unsure as to whether your skills match a certain job or whether you’d fit in with a company, Allen advises getting an inside opinion. Try to network within the company or the industry in order to meet people who can answer your questions or advise you.

Learning all you can about a company’s culture and the job itself is critical to any job search. Do your research and you’ll have an edge over others who are competing for the same position, because you’ll be prepared and confident come time for the interview, Allen says. “If you play sports, you practice and train to have as sharp an edge as the other athletes,” he says. “Competing for a job is no different.”

By: Mary Lorenz