The government shutdown may finally be behind us, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to coast into the holidays. In fact, this period between the government shutdown ending and the new year beginning is one of the smartest times for cleared professionals to stay visible, active, and ready.
The final weeks of the year can be a surprisingly strong window for cleared job seekers. Many employers are regrouping after the shutdown, assessing end-of-year staffing needs, and trying to lock in talent before budgets reset. While some processes may move a bit slower, organizations that need to hire are absolutely paying attention to the candidates who stay engaged.
This is where staying active pays off. When other job seekers check out for the season, your persistence stands out. Keeping your momentum through November and December shows recruiters you’re ready to move when the right opportunity opens.
So instead of sending your job search into holiday hibernation, use this stretch to strengthen it. A few targeted updates now can put you ahead of the pack once hiring activity ramps back up. Here are key areas to focus on to finish the year strong with a competitive edge.
Polish Your Resume
If you haven’t updated your resume in a while, revisit it now and ask yourself a few questions:
- Do you have a concise summary? Your summary should highlight what you can offer an employer. Include two to three lines of crisp, clean, jargon-free critical experience and relevant attributes such as certifications.
- Does your resume read like a list of responsibilities? If so, use the STAR formula (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to develop accomplishment statements.
- Is your format simple and clean? Use a standard font and avoid colors, shading, graphics, overbolding, and tiny type. Make sure you have some white space, and opt for bullet points over hard-to-read, lengthy blocks of text.
Proofread, refine, and rewrite as necessary to make sure your resume is up to par. Read here for more tips to write your most effective resume.
Update Your ClearedJobs.Net Profile
Once your resume is up to speed, be sure to upload it to your job seeker profile on ClearedJobs.Net—but don’t neglect to show your other profile details some love too.
Employers on ClearedJobs.Net see your profile details first, before deciding to click through to view your resume. So be sure to update these profile fields to get noticed by the right employers:
- Recent/Current Job Title: Think of this as your professional headline. Add a concise title that reflects your most recent or current role (e.g., “Senior Cybersecurity Analyst” or “Systems Engineer”). This field grabs employers’ attention and gives a quick snapshot of your expertise.
- Key Skills: Select Key Skills from a dropdown menu that includes technical skills, certifications, and professional specialties. This helps employers find you for roles that fit your unique skill set. You can select multiple skills, but they should be relevant skills that you possess.
- Years of Experience: Are you pursuing entry-level roles or positions that require extensive experience? Specify your years of professional experience to help employers match you with roles that fit where you are in your career journey.
- Ideal Work Locations: Add up to three desired work locations. You can search for selections by zip code or by entering a city, state, or country. You can even type and select “Remote” as an option.
Once your profile is fully completed and updated, log in a few times a month while actively in job search mode. Employers can see when you were last active on the site and this signals you’re in the market. This can also help to bring your profile up higher in the queue of employers’ search results.
Stay Active and Keep Networking
Many cleared recruiters continue sourcing in November and December because fewer candidates are applying—and they love finding the job seekers who stay engaged. Respond to messages in a timely manner and follow up on applications thoughtfully.
And when it comes to engaging your network, end-of-year communication is easier than people think. A quick note to former colleagues, a check-in with a hiring manager, or reconnecting with someone you met at an event can all open doors—especially as managers head into staffing discussions for Q1. Even a simple “Hope you’re doing well. I’d love to stay in touch as things ramp back up post-shutdown” can go a long way.
The Path Ahead
With the government shutdown behind us and the new year approaching, cleared hiring is poised to pick up steam. Staying active now puts you miles ahead of the job seekers who coast until January. Keep your resume sharp, your ClearedJobs.Net profile updated, and your network warm.
