Job Searching And The Holidays

Hello Everyone,

Just a thought. I've spoken to many people over the past few weeks & I have heard a similar theme. Once December comes around, the job market is closed & no one will be hired until after the New Year. I've heard it from employers who have urgent open positions & from candidates who are actively looking for work. A few thoughts on this topic Job Searching And The Holidays.

Yes, there is definitely a slowdown once December comes around with hiring & with candidates that are looking for work. However, there are also many open positions that NEED to be filled or at least have interviews done by year’s end, or the hiring manager will lose the budget for the position for the following year. For jobs like this, there is no better time to submit your resume & be interviewed. From my conversations with hiring managers & HR executives, I have seen that though the December slowdown is real, there are also many positions that they want to start interviewing for before the new year starts & even have candidates start immediately after the new year kicks off. Also, if the workload slows down for these hiring executives, they will have more time to review resumes & conduct interviews especially during the week between Christmas & New Years. There are many positions that simply can not wait!

As far as waiting to submit your resume after the new year due to the slowdown of the holiday season, think about this…Once the new year comes around, there will be a HUGE influx of resumes for these positions. Whether candidates are unhappy with their bonuses & want to look around, new year’s resolutions, or many other reasons, I have seen many more resumes come across my desk the first 2 weeks of January, more than any other 2 week period of the year.

My simple advice here is beat the rush! If you find a position that you are qualified for, APPLY IMMEDIATELY. You will be surprised how quickly you’ll get a call or email back. Especially during the slow weeks. Personally, I look forward to those times to organize resumes, have clients who are much easier to reach, & candidates who have more time to go on an interview.

Yes the December slowdown is real & yes, there are companies that will wait until the new year to interview. It can not hurt however to give it a shot & post your resume or apply to a position that you feel that you are a great fit for.

That said, I also want to take the time to wish a very happy holiday to all of the job seekers & hiring executives that take the time to read these postings. May the holidays be special for you & your families and may the New Year bring you all the success you wish for.

Season’s Greetings

Alex Dubovoy

President

JMD PARTNERS

Giving Notice and The Counter-Offer

Hi Everyone,

Sorry it’s been so long since my last post. I was out of town for quite some time, but am now back in the office & finally all caught up. Anyway, this post will cover a very sensitive & stressful issue. "Giving notice and the counter-offer".

Giving notice is a very difficult thing to do. It’s a loss regardless of whether you are leaving on good terms or not. I speak to many people every day & I am asked how do I give notice to my employer & maintain a good relationship with them & even get a positive reference if they are called. My answer every time, is be 100% direct, respectful, & to the point.

Times are getting better. You found a new job & are looking forward to the next step in your career. You received more money, more room for growth, more flexibility, or a better overall position that fits what you need. It is now time to tell your manager that your time with your current firm is over. My suggestion is to first, write a resignation letter, but not to send it. It is easier when you give it to the manager personally. It goes a long way. The resignation letter should state that you are giving your notice (which should be 2 weeks) & though you appreciate your time with the company, it is now time for you to move on. The letter should be short, direct, & professional, as it will be put into your employee file (think future reference)

The time has come. You are now in a meeting with your manager in which you need to share the news…First, get to the point. Let them know that you’ve decided to make a move to a new opportunity. Let them know that you appreciate everything that they’ve done for you, all of the experience you gained at the company, & that you will miss being part of the “team” Also, make sure that you tell your manager that you are happy to give 2 weeks of notice & will be at the forefront of knowledge transfer in order to make sure it is a smooth transition. Also, let them know that you are starting a new position in 2 weeks & it will be a great growth opportunity for you. Don’t answer the question “What can I do to make you stay” It leads to many things that do not benefit you at all. Make sure that in this meeting, there is nothing negative thrown around, as you will need your manager for a reference in the future. As you leave the meeting, again, reiterate to your manager that you appreciate everything they have done for you, & even after the 2 weeks are up, you will be available within reason, for anything that they need help with.

After the initial shock wears off, management at your current employer may realize that it will be very difficult to replace you. It is also common for someone who gave notice to “romanticize” their current job. The thought “This place isn’t really so bad” & the fear of making a change to an unknown environment is very common. That’s where the counter offer comes from. Your current employer may or may not do this, but be prepared in case they do. They will make you an offer of considerably more salary, more flexibility (work from home 2-3 days a week), more responsibility, & so forth. Pretty much anything that they can do to make you stay, even for a short time. This is when you need to remember “What are my reasons for leaving in the first place?” Why are they offering me this now & why did it take me giving notice for them to notice me? How long will this stay?

I can’t say for certain everyone, but a vast majority of job seekers who accept counter offers are no longer employed by their employer within 6 months of accepting a counter offer. I have seen counter offers pulled away after 2-3 weeks or after 2-4 months, but eventually the job seeker or the employer will cut ties. Once the job seeker gives notice, they are labeled by upper management as “disloyal”. If any budget cuts happen in the future, you’ll be on the block sooner than others. Also, when you accept a counter offer, it rarely gives you the solution to the reason you were looking in the first place. Those things will usually creep up again.

In conculsion, it is not an easy choice to leave your current employer & move on to a new job at a new firm. If you have decided that it is time for you to do that, & you accept an offer, stay with it. If you are not that interested in the new position, then stay at your old one & wait for something that is a better fit. Once you make the difficult decision to accept a new job, stick to it. You’ll find yourself happier at the end of the day with much fewer regrets.

I hope this helps & good luck in your job searches. As always, feel free to contact me any time with questions, comments, or any help I can offer.

Alex Dubovoy