During the holidays, many work seekers take a break from job hunting. It’s a hectic time of year, and balancing getting ready for the holidays with holding a work search going forward can be a challenge. But, maybe that’s a mistake.

Still not sure whether after the New Year, you can call it quits? During the holiday season, here are some reasons to keep your work hunt going.

Pay attention to requirements and responsibilities

Right now, the job boards might look a little grim, but even if your dream gig isn’t jumping out at you, there’s a good likelihood that some of the roles you’re coming across are a near match to what you’re actually searching for. They may not be the jobs you want to apply for, but that doesn’t mean they have zero merit whatsoever.

So, read through the details carefully during the holidays, paying attention to requirements and responsibilities. These two subheads are chock-full of valuable knowledge that will help you plan your materials and find out if your skill set has any gaps.

Update Your Resume

Aren’t you shocked to see this here, are you? It’s commonplace advice for a reason: your resume really matters. It needs to be up-to-date, typo-free, and important to your industry and the work you have set your sights on as the first glimpse at who you are, where you have come from, and what you have achieved.

Get Your References

There is nothing worse than getting to a certain exciting point of your job: looking for references in the post-interview request, yes, and scrambling to ensure that you have good references, and correct contact details for solid references listed above.

It is not sufficient to be assured that your former boss just has positive things to say about you. So asking to use others as a guide is both considerate and professional and necessary to let him or her know what you’ve been up to.

Make a List of Contacts

It’s true that the holiday season might not be the ideal time for everyone and anyone who may be of support to you in your job quest to network and reach out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t at least get the ball rolling. Do your study, check your brain for possible individuals to touch, and scroll through your LinkedIn.

Create an exhaustive list, narrow it down, and start writing emails afterwards. I would recommend waiting until at least a few days after the holidays have ended to finally send your carefully designed emails or LinkedIn messages, bearing in mind that on your first day back in the office, most people who took time off would be overwhelmed with emails. And you certainly don’t want yours to get lost in an inbox that’s overflowing.

Work on Your Social Media

So you haven’t mastered Twitter altogether. Or, maybe your experience of LinkedIn leaves a lot to be desired. Or your Facebook profile has an awful lot of dubious college videos. December is an excellent time to tidy up your social media pages and polish them.

Any type of social media presence is more or less a prerequisite in more and more industries. Find out how much credit your sector gives to it now, and behave accordingly. And even though most people will be out of the office for the holidays, their messages will still be reviewed. That you can be involved and interact with people in your industry where it will help you in your quest.

Conclusion

Check to make sure you have a current phone number and email address for each one once you have your names lined up. Keep this data at the ready so that you have one less thing to think about if and when a hiring manager needs it.