Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and the state of the job market is giving job seekers something to be thankful for. The 2015 Jobvite Recruiter Nation survey found that over a quarter of companies expect to hire more than 100 employees during the next year.

More jobs opening up isn’t the only good news, either. More and more employment trends are favoring job hunters. Here are three things that will make job seekers happy this holiday season:

OK, maybe you didn’t design your website with cute puppies in mind, but you definitely should’ve been thinking about what job seekers want. The 2015 Candidate Behavior Study found that 42 percent of job seekers look at company websites during their job search.Company websites are not only a way to find open jobs, but also to find out more about the employer brand.

So what does your website say about your company? Does it make job seekers wag their tails, or stray away?

Here are four reactions cute dogs and job seekers have when they visit your website:

Imagine the job of your dreams — your ideal work schedule, environment, and colleague relationships, not to mention the daily tasks themselves.

Now come back to reality. Is this what you have right now?

Interestingly enough, new research shows a correlation between location and job satisfaction, suggesting a few prime places have better job opportunities. In light of this information, where you live might determine your happiness in your career.

Over the course of one year, from March 2014-2015, Monster and Brandwatch examined 1.1 million tweets in the U.S. to find out when, where, and why people take to Twitter to discuss how they feel about their jobs.

Results showed professionals in many East Coast states were the least happy — with Florida in the lead, carrying the torch of job hate. Following closely behind were West Virginia, Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, Ohio, and Louisiana.

The states with the happiest professionals were Hawaii, Utah, Oregon, and California.

East Coast professionals, ready to plan a cross-country move yet? Truly, if you don’t love your job, there’s probably a better career elsewhere for you — you just might have to move out of state for it.

Here are some questions to consider when deciding if making a big career move to a new location is right for you:

It’s a fact of the job hunt: referrals are the way to get hired. CareerXroads’ 2014 Source of Hire report found companies filled 41 percent of their open positions by referrals. The trick is finding a way to get that referral.

Chances are, your best friend doesn’t currently work with your dream company, but there are plenty of other sources. Here are four other ways you can get a job referral and land a great job:

Sometimes it’s the road less traveled that helps us figure out what type of career we want. But once the decision is made, how can you show your unconventional experiences translate to marketable job skills?

Don’t worry because you’re in luck. A 2015 CareerBuilder survey of over 2000 HR professionals revealed that 46 percent of recent college graduates (ie candidates that took the traditional route) lack real world learning. And that’s exactly where your experience has come from: the real world. Still, how do you show employers that your worldly skills make you hireable?

Whether you took time to travel or spent time taking care of family, here are the best ways to present your unconventional skill set and land your dream job:

Come on, admit it: you spend dozens of hours each week on Facebook and Twitter posting, sharing, and updating your profile. But how much time do you spend on your LinkedIn profile?

Jobvite’s 2014 Social Recruiting Survey of 1,855 recruiters found that 93 percent are using LinkedIn to scout out potential candidates. Which means, while you’re checking out Instagram photos of your best friend’s new haircut, your next big job opportunity could be perusing your LinkedIn feed. But what exactly are they looking for? Here are four things hiring managers and recruiters are searching for on your LinkedIn profile:

You’ve finally snagged a face-to-face job interview. As you’re waiting to be called into the hiring manager’s office, you look around and see all of the other candidates waiting for their job interview.

Sure, you’re sporting a perfectly ironed shirt, but so are they. You’ve checked and rechecked your resume, but they’ve probably done the same. You spent the last few days practicing a nice, firm handshake, but if they want this job as much as you do, they have, too. Panic begins to creep in as you rack your brain for a way to stand out from the rest of the pack and land the job.

Recently, a CareerBuilder survey listed some of the most over-the-top tactics job applicants have used to try and stick out in the hiring manager’s mind. Here’s a look at some of the worst mistakes and ways you can avoid becoming a #CandidateFail:

With a degree in hand, you’re a freshly-educated job seeker ready to take on the world. You just have to get a job first — preferably in your major.

You’ve had an internship or two and plenty of coursework that helped you build skills. Your challenge is communicating that experience in a way that captures employers’ attention and convinces them you’re the right person for the job.

In fact, half of employers say they have trouble finding candidates with the skills needed to fill open positions, according to CareerBuilder’s 2015 Candidate Behavior Study.

Here are a few creative ways to prove your skills to employers and help you get a job:

Job seekers are more optimistic now than ever.

For the first time since 2009, employee job market confidence has reached beyond half of the population surveyed, according to Glassdoor’s new study.

Yet, the reality is, fewer than half of 2014 graduates have professional jobs — those which require a college degree, a new Looksharp report shows.

As a career counselor, you’re likely to run into some ambitious job seekers with high expectations for their career. Though, overall, unemployment is declining and job openings are slowly becoming more abundant than years prior, role requirements are becoming more specific. Save your job seekers some disappointment by helping them manage their expectations and giving them the resources they need to succeed.

Here are a few tips to help job seekers manage their expectations and achieve their career goals:

Not everyone’s a public speaking virtuoso, but that doesn’t mean it’s an area to be ignored. 

In fact, a 2014 study published in PLOS ONE shows how vocal fry — or squeaks and cracks in your speech — can be perceived negatively and hurt your chances of getting a job. The study found young adult females with vocal fry are perceived as less competent, less educated, less trustworthy, less attractive, and therefore less hirable. 

While the negative perceptions of vocal fry are stronger for females than for males, men are still susceptible to undesired voice cracking. That means all young job seekers could potentially be at risk if their recruiters have picky ears. 

It is bad form to criticize someone’s natural way of speaking. But if you want to sound more professional and have your voice leave a lasting impression on hiring pros, it is worthwhile to try these techniques.

Here are a few tips to help you train yourself to speak like a leader so that you can be prepared to ace your interview: