As our name suggest, Always Be Job Hunting means you should never take a break from looking.

But with Thanksgiving and Christmas upon us, we don’t want to be a Grinch and take up all your holiday time.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to ensure the job hunt goes on while you put your feet up for some festive TV. Let’s take a look.

Set up your automatic job emails

Most job search websites let you set up auto emails. That way, you’ll get daily or weekly emails with potential roles sent straight to your inbox.

But there are a few more things you can do.

If you’re not getting many results for your home city, add ‘remote’ and ‘mobile’ to your search. That’ll pick up all the remote working opportunities out there. Companies are starting to realise they can get more talent if they extend their workspace beyond the office. Video calls, Google hangouts and business apps such as Basecamp let you collaborate without having to be physically in the office.

Send your recruitment agency a Christmas card

Sometimes, getting hold of your recruiter is a game of voicemail table tennis. They’re always on another call, in a meeting or ‘just popped out for lunch’.

Sending them a Christmas card is a good way to get their attention, and plant a positive reminder that you’re still looking for work.

If you’ve registered with a specialist agency (which you should do) for your industry, they are more likely to be proactive and contact you. Especially if your line of work is in demand over the holiday period. Specialist recruiters such as Simply Education work 365 days a year to help put teachers into the right job.

Post on social media

Whether you use Facebook or LinkedIn to network and look for jobs, it’s worth sharing interesting, job-related articles you come across, liking the posts of industry influencers, and posting your own blogs. It reminds people you’re still there, and you can do it from your mobile without getting off the sofa.

Make sure your CV is up-to-date and online

Whether it’s on your LinkedIn page or saved on your job search website(s) of choice, make sure you CV is up-to-date. It’s one surefire way to get your job application under control and ensure that any recruiters working above and beyond over the holidays see your current resume.

Consider pro bono or volunteering

‘Tis the season to be charitable, and if you find the holidays a little boring, you can take some time out from feasting on turkey to do a little pro bono or freelance work. If you’re a designer, do a free flyer for a local small business. In sales? Get down to volunteer at the local charity shop. Giving up your free time won’t just give you a warm glow inside, it’ll look great on your social media updates and CV, too! Sites such as Do-It can help you find volunteer opportunities.

Follow these steps and you’ll make your downtime work for you. And with all these in place, you’ll have an edge over other candidates come January when recruiters start searching their inboxes again.

This post has been contributed by Ryan Gatt, it may contain affiliate links.