10+ Job Interviews in 30 Days: The January 2026 Strategy That Works

If you’ve been doom-scrolling LinkedIn wondering whether it’s even worth applying or expecting job interviews during the holidays, you’re not alone.

But if your goal is to land job interviews in January, this is exactly the window to act.

In this blog, I’ll show you how to set yourself up for 10+ interviews in just 30 days, even during the so-called “slow” season.

This Is the Job Interview Prep Window No One Talks About

Every year around this time, my inbox fills with the same anxious question:

“Should I be job searching during the holidays… or is it pointless?”

I get it. Between the travel, the slowdowns, the out-of-office replies, and the endless trays of sugar cookies, it feels like the whole professional world shuts down.

But here’s the truth that most job seekers don’t know:

If you want 10+ interviews in January, the work starts now. This week. This month. Not January 1st.

January is one of the highest-impact months for landing interviews, but only for people who prepared during November and December.

Today, I’m walking you through exactly how to use the next 8–10 weeks strategically so you can position yourself for a powerful start to 2026.

I’ll show you:

• How hiring really works from November through February
  
• Why the holidays are the easiest, least-awkward time of year to network
  
• The 7 networking messages that actually get interviews
  
• How to prepare your career direction now, before January gets competitive
  
• The mistake that keeps most people stuck until March
  
• And a powerful story from my client Grace, who went from a decade of feeling lost to gaining total clarity in just four days

Let’s build your January success story, step by step.

🎧 Prefer to listen? Land Interviews in 2026

Why November–January Is the Most Misunderstood Hiring Season

Every year, job seekers tell themselves:

• “Things are slow anyway.”
  
• “Nobody hires during the holidays.”
  
• “I’ll start fresh in January.”
  
• “December doesn’t matter.”
  

And every year, these same people are shocked when they don’t hear back from applications until March.

Why?

Because January hiring isn’t about what you do in January.
January hiring belongs to those who prepared in November and December.

Here’s what actually happens behind the scenes:

Early November: Quiet but steady

Hiring volume is low to moderate. Seasonal roles peak. Professional hiring slows but does not stop. Companies finalize headcount and project needs.

Late November: Sharp slowdown

Just before and after Thanksgiving, hiring drops. Managers stop scheduling interviews, they’re traveling, closing out budgets, or preparing for year-end evaluations.

But they are still reading emails and catching up on resumes they didn’t have time to review earlier.

First half of December: Minimal openings, low competition

Yes, job postings slow down. But job seeker activity slows even more.
This means:
If you apply, you stand out.
If you network, you stand out even more.

Second half of December: Extremely slow

Teams are on vacation. New postings are rare. But hiring managers are:

• planning January roles
  
• reviewing resumes
  
• preparing interview slates
  
• making lists of people to contact after New Year’s

This is exactly when your name needs to be in their inbox.

First week of January: Budget reset and planning

Teams are back but not running at full speed. Many job seekers “start applying again” this week, so volume increases dramatically.

Second week of January: Momentum

New roles post. Interview activity ramps up.

Third and fourth weeks of January: Peak

This is when the interviews flood in, for those who networked and prepared early.

February: Strong hiring month

Most offers for Q1 hiring are finalized now.

The Number One Mistake Job Seekers Make 

Waiting.

That’s it.

Waiting until:

• “after the holidays”
  
• “when companies start hiring”
  
• “when things pick back up”
  
• “after New Year’s”
  

But here’s the hard truth:

If you start in January, you’ve already missed the window.

The hiring wave begins mid-January.
To ride it, your networking, clarity, and preparation must be done beforehand.

This is why the next eight weeks are absolute gold.

Want help getting ready for January hiring? Book your free Career Clarity Call here.

The 3-Part Framework That Sets You Up for January Job Interviews

If you want to land 10+ interviews in January, your job search strategy for November–December should focus on three pillars:

1. Get crystal clear on your direction
   
2. Network in a low-pressure, holiday-friendly way
   
3. Prepare your materials and pipeline now
   

Let’s break each one down.

1. Use the Holidays to Get Crystal Clear on What You Want

One of the most beautiful things about the holiday season is that it naturally invites reflection. Even if you’re busy, there’s always a moment, between gatherings, travel, or wrapping gifts, when you pause and think about where your life is headed.

Use that momentum.

Because here’s something I see every day as a career coach:

Lack of clarity is the biggest killer of job search momentum.

When you’re unclear, you:

• Apply inconsistently
  
• Get overwhelmed
  
• Doubt yourself
  
• Choose roles too broad or too random
  
• Miss networking opportunities because you don’t know what to say or who to talk to

But when you’re clear?

You become magnetic.

You know exactly:

• what industries you’re targeting
  
• what titles fit your transferable skills
  
• the problems you solve
  
• the strengths you want to use
  
• the environments you thrive in

It accelerates everything.

A personal story about clarity: Grace’s career transformation

When I worked with Grace, who transitioned from Director of Operations in management consulting to a more people-centered, client-facing career path, the biggest breakthrough wasn’t when she polished her resume or reached out to more people.

It happened the moment she finally said out loud:

“I know what I want to do next, this direction actually excites me.”

For Grace, that realization came after nearly a decade of feeling unsure. And once she had that clarity:

• opportunities started aligning quickly
  
• her networking felt natural instead of forced
  
• conversations became easier and more energizing
  
• introductions began flowing in
  
• her confidence shifted almost overnight
  

She wasn’t “starting over.”
She was combining everything she’d already mastered, advising, supporting others, relationship building, communication, problem-solving, leadership, into a career path that finally made sense for who she is.

That’s what clarity does.
And you can create that for yourself this month.

2. Network, Network, Network — This Is the Easiest Time of Year

Let me say this as clearly as I can:

There is no easier time to network than during the holidays.

None.

Why?

Because holiday outreach is the least awkward, least intrusive, least pressured networking of the entire year. People are warm. People are reflective. People are generous with connections.

And most importantly:

No one thinks you’re reaching out because you need something.

You can send a simple holiday greeting, and boom, connection reopened.

You cannot replicate that vibe in February.

Here’s exactly how to do it:

Step 1: Make a list of everyone who could help you

Include:

• past coworkers
  
• former managers
  
• classmates
  
• mentors
  
• instructors
  
• people you met through events
  
• anyone you interviewed with in 2025—even if you didn’t get the job
  
• friends
  
• friends of friends
  
• acquaintances
  
• people you admire on LinkedIn
  
  

If you’ve ever thought, “Hmm, maybe I should reconnect with them,” add them.

Step 2: Send a simple holiday message (November–December)

You only need one template written in your own voice. The goal is warming the connection, not asking for anything yet.

It can be as simple as:

“Hey [Name],
Your name came across my mind today and I wanted to wish you a wonderful holiday season. Hope you and your family are doing well and winding down with some rest. It's been a while, and I'd love to hear how you've been!”

Or:

“Hi [Name],
I just wanted to send a quick holiday hello—this time of year always reminds me to reach out to people whose work I’ve admired. Wishing you a warm and joyful holiday season!”

That’s it.

No career ask.
No pressure.
No agenda.

Just a connection—so that in January, your follow-up feels natural.

Step 3: Then in January, send the real message

Your New Year message is where the career conversation picks up naturally:

The reason this works so well:

• It’s warm
  
• It’s relevant
  
• It’s timely
  
• It’s not pushy
  
• And it’s built on genuine reconnection

I’ve seen clients land 5–15 informational interviews in two weeks from these exact messages.

Why Holiday Networking Works: The Psychology Behind It

Holiday outreach taps into three natural tendencies:

1. Nostalgia

People think about past colleagues, mentors, and connections.

2. Generosity

People are naturally more open to helping, connecting, and introducing.

3. Reflection

People evaluate their own careers and often want to support others doing the same.

This creates the perfect networking environment, if you step into it.

3. Prepare Your Materials Before January Hits

January is competitive.
By then:

• roles post quickly
  
• decision makers move fast
  
• hundreds of applicants apply within hours
  
• networking requests multiply
  
• professionals return from PTO overwhelmed
  

If you wait until January to define your direction or optimize your LinkedIn, you will already be behind.

Understanding the Market: Why This Job Strategy Matters in 2026

The job market right now is unusual.
High layoffs.
Lower hiring volume.
Increased competition.
More selective employers.
Growth in gig and project-based work.
Hiring freezes in traditional sectors like tech and government.

But also:

• strong hiring in tech-enabled work
  
• healthcare resilience
  
• education and nonprofit opportunities in Q1
  
• increased demand for AI skills, data literacy, and durable skills like communication and leadership
  
  

This means the job search is more relationship-driven than ever.

If you want interviews, you cannot rely on “just applying.”

You need:

• direction
  
• visibility
  
• timing
  
• a warm network
  
• and early preparation
  

This strategy gives you all five.

What Happens If You Follow This Plan (Realistically)

If you start now—in November or early December—here’s what you can expect:

By mid-December:

• You’ll feel clearer and more grounded
  
• You’ll have reached out to dozens of connections with zero awkwardness
  
• You’ll have more confidence than you’ve had all year
  

Late December:

• People begin replying to your holiday messages
  
• You start seeing early January postings trickle in
  
• Hiring managers quietly review your materials
  

First week of January:

• The follow-ups begin
  
• Conversations reopen
  
• You reintroduce your career goals naturally
  

Second and third week of January:

This is where the magic happens.

• Interviews start rolling in
  
• Recruiters respond
  
• Referrals are submitted
  
• Warm introductions turn into virtual coffee chats
  

I’ve watched this exact strategy help clients land 10, 12—even 20—interviews in the span of just a few weeks.

By February:

You’re deep in interview processes, negotiating offers, or choosing between final-round opportunities.

This is not hype.
It is systems.
It is timing.
It is human psychology.
It is the rhythm of the job market.

And you can leverage all of it.

Your Action Plan: How to Land 10+ Interviews in January

Here’s your simple checklist for the next 60 days:

NOVEMBER

• Start the career clarity work
  
• Make your networking list
  
• Send Thanksgiving messages
  
• Begin light outreach

EARLY DECEMBER

• Send holiday messages
  
• Identify your target roles (schedule a career clarity call if you get stuck here)
  
• Polish interview stories 

MID DECEMBER

• Prepare your January follow-up messages
  
• Clarify your top 15-20 target companies

LATE DECEMBER

• Rest and recharge
  
• Let your relationship-building simmer

EARLY JANUARY

• Send New Year messages
  
• Follow up with warm connections
  
• Apply to new postings immediately
  

MID–LATE JANUARY

• Interviews begin
  
• Keep networking
  
• Keep applying
  
• Keep following up 

FEBRUARY

• Interviews intensify
  
• Offers roll in

This is your season.

About Career Coach & Author

Theresa White, Career Clarity Expert, 5x Certified Career Coach, and the Founder of Career Bloom, is known for her expertise in guiding people to get unstuck and find the direction they need to move forward in their careers—fast. In a time when so many people are re-evaluating their work, Theresa offers actionable insights that empower clients to identify their true strengths and pursue work that genuinely aligns with their goals. 

Theresa’s clients often call her sessions “epiphanies” and “transformational.” She brings immediate clarity to career goals, helping people unlock a deep understanding of what makes work fulfilling for them. Past participants consistently describe her approach as “spot on” and an “answer to questions they’d been asking for weeks.”

Theresa’s approach is empathetic yet practical, and she’s known for empowering clients with a clear direction in as little as 30 days, guaranteeing results. 

Connect with Theresa on LinkedIn, listen to the Career Clarity Unlocked Podcast, or schedule your free 30-minute career clarity consultation.

FAQs: How to Land Job Interviews in 2026

Should I network or cold apply during the holidays to get job interviews?

Short answer: both, but networking should win. Cold applying keeps opportunities flowing, but holiday outreach tends to move things faster because people are more available and open to quick check-ins. If you want momentum in January, let networking lead and use cold applications as support.

What’s the best way to follow up after a job interview during the holidays?

Send a thank-you within 24 hours, then a light check-in about a week later acknowledging the slower holiday pace. If you interviewed right before a major holiday, it’s totally normal to follow up again in early January. And if you want stress-free scripts for exactly what to say, my 17 Fill-in-the-Blank Message Templates make follow-ups effortless: 

How to handle stress job interview

First, control what you can: know your stories, practice out loud, and give yourself real rest so you’re not walking into interviews already burned out. Then give yourself permission to keep things simple, clarity and calm always outperform over-preparation. The prompts and templates in this blog can also help take the pressure off so you’re not crafting every message from scratch.

You Can Absolutely Do This

If the job market has felt discouraging this year, I want you to hear this:

You are right on time.

The market is tough, yes.
But not impossible.
Not hopeless.
Not closed off to you.

With clarity, strategic networking, and preparation during the holiday season, you can walk into January 2026 with momentum most job seekers only dream of.

And you can absolutely land 10+ interviews, if you start now.

I’m rooting for you every step of the way.

Before You Go: A Tiny Gift to Kickstart Your 2026 Career Clarity

If you’re craving a little more direction, here’s something special I made for you.

🎁 The Career Clarity Advent Calendar
24 days. 24 tiny clarity moments.
All designed to help you feel more grounded, more confident, and more you… one door at a time.

It’s completely free, and honestly?
It’s the perfect way to start building momentum long before January hits.

👉 Get your Career Clarity Advent Calendar here