The Holiday season is upon us! Although job losses are finally beginning to decline, the current U.S. unemployment rate is still around 10%. Chances are that you probably have at least one job seeker on your holiday gift list. You may not be able to gift a new job, but here are some gifts that can help job seekers navigate today’s job market:
- Organizer/Planners- Actively searching for a job is a full time job. Get your job seeker an organizer so they can track their applications, contacts, appointments, and interviews.
Day Runner Undated Bordeaux Planner $51.79, OfficeMax.com
Luxury option: King’s Desk Diary with Pocket (pink) $240, Smythson
- Coffee Shop gift certificate- Since most job seekers are on a tight budget, coffee trips are usually some of the first things cut out of the budget. A gift card will allow your job seeker to caffeinate guilt-free! So whether it’s Starbucks, Dunkin, or that little café around the block, a gift certificate to a jobseeker’s favorite coffee shop is always a welcome treat.
- Brief Case/ Portfolio/ Laptop Bag – Every job seeker should have a professional portfolio to transport resumes- and they may need a bag to transport the portfolio, too! Overstock.com carries name brand brief cases, portfolios and laptop bags at discounted prices.
Samsonite Executive Leather Hardside Portfolio Briefcase $79.99, Overstock.com
Royce Leather Executive File Brief $57.99, Overstock.com
And if they need a laptop bag… try Target.com or Staples.com.
Belkin Messenger Laptop Bag $34.99, Target.com
- Unlimited Wi-Fi Access Having Wi-Fi access from anywhere is a great gift to job seekers. They can always stay connected and won’t feel confined to their home or apartment when they are searching for jobs online.
Boingo Unlimited Wi-Fi plans begin at $9.95/month (no gift certificates/online credits are available, but you can set up the account in the job seeker’s name)
- Books
Informative job advice books like What Color is Your Parachute? or Cover Letters for Dummies could give your job seeker the tips they need to stand out from the crowd:
What Color is your Parachute?, $19.11 Amazon
Cover Letters for Dummies, $11.95 Amazon
- Professional Network Membership
Do a little research on the top networks in your job seeker’s industry and see if you can find one that may be of interest to them. The prices to join Professional Networks vary, but the networks and information could be priceless to a job seeker.
- Forbes or Industry-Related magazine/online subscription, Search Amazon for great subscription rates
Your job seeker is probably not spending their extra cash on magazines right now, so go ahead and find an industry specific magazine that will allow them to stay up-to-date on industry trends, news and events
