Dear Sam: It is getting into the holiday season, and I wondered if it is even worth my time to search for a job right now. Should I cut my losses and resume my search in the new year? – Matt

Dear Matt: Absolutely not! While hiring slows down at this time of year, it is a fantastic time to get your resume and LinkedIn profile shipshape for recruiters and hiring managers still seeking candidates for open requisitions. Think about it; if many others feel the same way as you, and you continue submitting your resume for opportunities, you will compete against a smaller candidate pool!

In addition, this is a great time to start cultivating relationships throughout your network, sending out a polished and keyword-rich resume, engaging those outside your immediate purview through LinkedIn, and ramping up your search. You can also use some of the coming weeks to identify companies you are interested in and start preparing cold contact cover letters. Submitting a resume and cover letter to a company without current listings could place you front and center in the minds of hiring managers once the new year budgets are approved and hiring explodes.

Never put your search on hold; you never know what opportunity you may miss out on, what relationship you could have developed, and what doors you could be opening even if an open position doesn’t currently exist.

Samantha Nolan is an Advanced Personal Branding Strategist and Career Expert, founder and CEO of Nolan Branding. Do you have a resume, career, or job search question for Dear Sam? Reach Samantha at [email protected]. For information on Nolan Branding’s services, visit www.nolanbranding.com or call 888-9-MY-BRAND or 614-570-3442.