As 2023 approaches, it’s a great time to reevaluate and refocus your job search. Think of the next two months as a time for transformation, excitement, and new opportunity. If you’ve ever run a race or faced a countdown clock in a competition, you know that the final quarter is the time to give it your all and finish strong. This November and December, find that extra burst of energy and know that the finish line is in sight.
Consider Your Short-term Actions vs. Long-term Goals
The final months of the year are a great time to job search because you have a specific timeline–2023! But, to make the most of the days we have left in the year, you’ll need a game plan. Consider drawing up two lists to make things more manageable, one list for short-term, realistic actions and one list for long-term goals.
Short-term actions might be:
Land at least 2 interviews. This can help you practice your interview skills and continue to build connections.
Reach out to 10 different people within your network. Whether it’s on LinkedIn or over coffee, it’s great to get the ball rolling and start conversations that build your network. Even if these conversations don’t lead directly to a job, they lay fantastic groundwork for the future.
Make a list of companies where you’d love to work (even if they don’t have positions listed). By doing this, you might realize a pattern that you didn’t see before that can help you focus your job search.
Apply to at least 5 jobs that meet at least half of your “wants”. While no job is perfect, you can only learn so much from a job description. Consider applying to a range of jobs, even if they don’t fit all of your criteria, to shake things up.
Long-term goals might be:
Find a job that you love. Write a description of your “perfect job” and highlight qualities that make that job stand out to you.
Feel fulfilled at work. If you’ve been working a range of stagnant jobs, consider what makes work meaningful to you and what job qualities make a role fulfilling in your eyes. Do some research to see what careers people find fulfilling and why!
Change fields. If one of your long-term goals is to change things up entirely and move into a different field, brainstorm what field you’d like to go into and jot down some ideas for how to make that transition.
Plan Networking Meetups Before the Holidays
As we approach the holidays in November and December, just be mindful that folks might be less available to chat with you as work, family, and other responsibilities pick up. Consider a buffer zone of at least 4 days before holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas or Hannukah. People in your network will appreciate that you are being sensitive to their time constraints and might have more focused time to chat. Remember, in some industries, work may either ramp up or slow down during the holiday season and in both cases, people might take a longer time to respond to you.
Be Strategic
Q4 started at the beginning of October and goes until the end of the year. Research hiring practices or get an insider’s perspective from the companies that you are considering. If a company generally doesn’t hire in the middle of a quarter, it might be best to send in your application at a different time. Some companies strategically hire in Q4 to start the New Year off strong, so see what information you can find on your prospective employers.
With 2023 fast approaching, get strategic, get excited, and get job searching! The building blocks and foundation that you lay now can set you up for success in the New Year, so break down the process and take small but impactful steps toward your goals.
This article was written by Rachel Ludwig.
Rachel Ludwig is an editor and writer based in Brooklyn. Samples of her work can be found at raludwig.com.
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