Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
By now, you know the drill: as the year winds down, so do your energy levels, holiday parties beckon, travel looms, and the thought of launching a job search feels like climbing a stepladder while wearing snow boots. But if you’re an executive (or senior-leader-in‐waiting) who’s contemplating a move, this is actually one of the sharpest times to strike. Let’s unpack why, offer data-backed insights, and give you a crisp playbook so you’re not waiting until January to get into the game.
Here’s your smart, forward-thinking battle plan:
1. Audit and update your brand now.
- Resume / Bio / LinkedIn / Board Profile: Ensure everything reflects your latest wins, leadership metrics, transformation stories, and future-ready narrative.
- LinkedIn headline: Use keywords CEOs or boards will search—e.g., “Growth-oriented Global CMO | Digital-first Product Transformation | Board & Private-Equity Advisor.”
- Board/Advisory readiness: If you might go this route, clean up your board bio, highlight governance experience, and show where you’ve influenced strategy.
- Google your name: What comes up when someone searches you? Ensure your brand footprint aligns with your target role—too many passive results? Fix it.
2. Target smart—make a short list of 10-20 companies.
- Choose organizations that will be actively hiring in Q1, or need talent now to execute year-end/start-of-year goals.
- Research their strategic imperatives for next year: e.g., “digital E2E supply-chain optimization,” “growth through M&A,” “geo-expansion Latin America.” Tailor your messaging to how you’ll solve those.
- For each target, identify: key decision-maker(s), projected start timing, budget cycle, and internal hiring signals (e.g., job posts, press releases, board announcements).
- Map your network: board members, investors, alumni, etc. Which of your contacts is connected? Use the holidays to initiate one warm reach-out per week.
3. Leverage holiday networking deliberately.
- Attend one relevant event–either a company party, industry association gala, board-hosting event—armed with your “elevator story” (30 seconds) about the value you bring.
- Send a thoughtful holiday card/email to five high-value contacts (former colleagues, board connections, mentors) reminding them that you’re open to advisory/executive roles in 2026. Keep it short, warm, and factual.
- Use the quieter December inbox to have informal “coffee chats” (virtual or in-person) with 2–3 people per week. One of those could spark a lead before the rush of Q1. These are my faves.
4. Apply and interview—but manage timing smartly.
- Submit your applications now. Why delay? With fewer applicants, you’ll be visible. Robert Half notes December offers “jobs posted now, easier to stand out.” Robert Half
- When scheduling interviews, ask about the decision-maker’s availability and start date. If the process may stretch into January, that’s okay—this is expected for senior roles.
- If you hit a holiday “slow zone” (mid to late December), keep the momentum going by prepping for the next step: refine your presentation, draft your 30/60/90-day plan, and update your references.
- Follow up politely. If you haven’t heard by mid-January, send a thoughtful check-in: “I trust your holiday break was refreshing; just checking in on XYZ role.” Avoid appearing impatient—executive search is a marathon.
5. Stay active, visible, and strategic through the New Year.
- Post a LinkedIn article or short post mid-December reflecting on “Top 3 leadership lessons from 2025 and What’s next in 2026″ or something similar. This positions you as a thought leader, not just a job seeker.
- Allocate 2–3 hours per week for consistent networking, research, and content creation. Don’t “pause” just because the tinsel is up.
- By early January, you’ll be among the few already in motion. Many candidates will hit “go” then—so you’re ahead of the pack.
6. Use the holiday season for self-assessment and strategy.
- Use the downtime to reflect: what kind of role you really want in 2026—industry, size, culture, remote/hybrid, board potential.
- Identify your “brand gap”: what skill, title, or board experience could unlock your next move? Use the quieter weeks to plan a short course, podcast, or thought-leadership piece to fill that gap.
- Set a 90-day job-search sprint plan: Week 1–4 refresh materials, Week 5–8 launch outreach, Week 9–12 interview prep, and target closing Q1. Keep the calendar visible.
2025–26 Trends Executives Should Watch (and Incorporate)
- Board/advisory demand is growing as companies look for outside expertise (especially digital or ESG) in 2026—if you have this angle, highlight it.
- Hybrid leadership expectations: Executives who demonstrate remote-team fluency + onsite culture-building are increasingly prized.
- Data and AI fluency: Executives who can bridge business and tech (e.g., “drove AI-enabled revenue growth by X%”) will have an edge.
- Strategic agility: With macro uncertainty, boards/CEOs want leaders who can move fast, pivot and scale. Your resume should demonstrate “growth & turnaround” stories, not just steady state.
- Compensation sensitivity: Because many candidates wait for January, companies may counter-offer aggressively—be prepared to articulate your value clearly, and to negotiate beyond salary (equity, board seat, flexibility).
Final Word: Stop Waiting. Game Time is Now.
Here’s the blunt truth: if you wait until January to dust off your resume, you’ll walk into a stampede of applicants. The companies that need leadership now are already planning, budgeting and preparing to hire. You, as an executive, are in a fantastic position to get ahead of the rush.
Use the holidays not as a rest-stop, but as a tactical launch pad. You’ll network while others are distracted. You’ll apply while fewer eyes are on the inbox. You’ll strategize while others procrastinate. And come January—you’ll be not just ready, but visible, positioned and primed to win.
So: pour the cocoa, enjoy the lights, and spend some of your well-earned off-time aligning your story, sharpening your brand, and taking micro-actions. Because the new year isn’t just about starting fresh—it’s about starting early. And you’re already ahead.