13 Best Things You Can Do for Your Career Before the Year’s End

There are 36 days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. This end-of-year stretch can feel like a black hole for your job search and career. But like an actual black hole, it only seems empty. In fact, it’s packed with opportunities.

We turned to our Muse coaches for their advice on what you can do for your job search, your career, and yourself during this holiday season—as we stare down another letter of the Greek alphabet (hi, omicron?), navigate the Great Resignation, and more.

[RELATED: Need some more personalized help? Book a coach today—pick from Resume Review, 30-Minute Career Q&A, Job Search Strategy, and plenty of other services.]

Here’s what they had to say (tips have been lightly edited for length and clarity).

Network with your family and friends. Even if cousin Natalie isn’t in your industry, it’s who she might know that is just as important. Be sure to detail what you’re seeking. Give a bit of a roadmap, more detail than “Keep me in mind if you hear of anything.” —Muse career coach Tara Goodfellow, owner of Athena Consultants

Read more:

• How to Turn Any Social Event Into a Networking Opportunity (Without Being Creepy About It)
• 9 Tips to Turn Networking Contacts Into Meaningful Relationships, From a Serial Connector

Many job seekers think that companies pause hiring during the holidays, but in reality, business doesn’t stop. Sometimes hiring picks up to fill headcount before the end of the year. In the past, this could have been dependent on the industry, but this year is different. Companies are hiring, and they need people. —Muse career coach Jennifer Smith, founder of Flourish Careers

Read more:

• 5 Productive, Pain-Free Ways to Job Search During the Holidays Without Turning Into the Grinch
• How to Get and Stay Organized During Your Job Search
• The 8 Basic Steps You Need to Nail in Your Job Search

Slow down. Take time to reflect on the last two years and set goals for next year. Factor in the way your employer has (or hasn’t) evolved over the pandemic and what else is going on in your industry when considering what’s next for your career. —Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky, founder of Shatter & Shine

Read more:

• 15 Questions to Ask Yourself Every Friday

Take an honest inventory of your performance for the year to prepare for performance reviews. I like to keep a folder of all positive and not-so-positive feedback to help me with this every end of year. —Muse career coach Nekpen Osuan Wilson, cofounder and CEO of WomenWerk

Read more:

• Why I Made a Feedback File, and You Should Too
• 7 Things to Do the Night Before a Review (if You Want It to Go Well)
• 16 Tips for Having a Successful Remote Performance Review

Reach out to people who’ve been helpful to you (e.g., mentors, networking contacts, colleagues) to let them know how grateful you are for their assistance and support. Holiday cards (physical or e-cards) with special personalized messages are great, but emails and LinkedIn inbox messages work, too. Everyone likes to be acknowledged, and your sincerity will be appreciated. —Muse career coach Heidi Ravis

Read more:

• How a Little Gratitude Can Help You Get Ahead at Work
• I Started Sending a Thank You Note a Week—and It Totally Changed the Way I Work

If you have time and energy, it’s a great time to strengthen your skills. Choose an online course that will help you gain a new skill or further your knowledge in a certain area. —Muse career coach Leto Papadopoulos

Read more:

• 14 Best Sites for Taking Online Classes That’ll Boost Your Skills and Get You Ahead
• An Online Course or Degree Can Help You Achieve Career Goals—Here’s How to Pick the Right One

Set your priorities. As the end of the year approaches, it can feel like every day slips away quickly and nothing gets accomplished—the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s are often a complete blur! Setting two to three top priorities for that time and breaking those priorities up into manageable steps can help keep you on task and can increase productivity. —Muse career coach Cassie Spencer

Read more:

• A Better To-Do List: The 1-3-5 Rule
• Take It From Someone Who Hates Productivity Hacks—the Pomodoro Technique Actually Works
• 7 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Hard When You’re Really Not in the Mood

Plan ahead, focus on what's most important, eat right, slow down, take a walk, listen to music, and lean into what gives you joy. —Muse career coach Tina Wascovich

Read more:

• 10 Easy Ways to Take Care of Yourself Even When You’re Super Busy
• 15 Better Things to Do After Work (if You Want to Be Happy)

Take a break! Especially if you’re feeling burned out. Yes, it’s a great time to apply for roles, but if you’re feeling tired and stressed, you will benefit from stepping away for a bit. —Muse career coach Leto Papadopoulos

Read more:

• 3 Ways You’re Letting Work Ruin Your Holidays (and How to Stop)
• 5 Telltale Signs You’re Burnt Out at Work (and What to Do About Them)
• Work-From-Home Burnout Is Real—Here’s How to Recover

Stop replying to emails when you’re out, or when many are out. Some people need to answer emails to feel purposeful. Take time to live your life—the one beyond work emails. The work will still be there in 2022 (and so will the emails). —Muse career coach Anne M. Kelly, owner of AMKcoach

Read more:

• 6 Out-of-Office Templates for the Holidays That You Can Copy and Paste Now
• I Tried the Distraction-Free Phone—and Here’s What Happened

It’s always a good time to invest in yourself, but if you ever feel you need permission, what better time than during the holidays? Leverage new opportunities to refresh yourself for 2022. Even a small investment will pay dividends. —Muse career coach Heather Yurovsky, founder of Shatter & Shine

Read more:

• How to Choose the Right Career Coach for You
• What You Need to Know Before You Pay Someone to Help With Your Resume

We’re all surviving one of the most tumultuous periods in at least the last 100 years. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back, remind yourself that we’re all doing the best that we can. Even if you’re not exactly where you want to be professionally, have patience with yourself. You’re a work in progress. —Muse career coach Andrea Gerson, founder of Resume Scripter

Read more:

• Here’s the Secret to Being Patient When You Really Want Something Right Now
• It’s OK if You Look at Other People’s Careers and Think “What Am I Doing?”

Pause, reflect, and celebrate all your accomplishments! So many times we rush from one thing to the next, especially during the holidays; remember to celebrate how far you’ve come! —Muse career coach Jennifer Smith, founder of Flourish Careers

Read more:

• The 10-Minute Weekly Activity That Helps You Get Ahead (Worksheet Included!)
• Why You Should “Brag Better” to Help Your Career—and How You Can Get Started Today
• 12 Little Milestones You Should Be Celebrating at Work