Turn Holiday Gatherings into Networking Opportunities

Holiday gatherings in a variety of settings abound during the holidays. This is a great time to network simply because there are so many parties to attend. To take advantage of these opportunities, have a brief two minute speech ready that tells people who you are and what type of work you would like to do. Be careful not to monopolize someone’s time. Remember, people are at these gatherings to relax and celebrate with colleagues and friends. At the same time, you want to be prepared to speak concisely about your career goals.

Job Search Business Cards

Resumes are not the best tool to use during holiday networking opportunities. Instead, create a job seeking business card. This card should contain all your contact information and a brief, perhaps two word, career descriptor such as Database Programmer, Sales Associate, or Human Resource Professional. These cards afford you the opportunity to share your information in a way that suits the atmosphere of a holiday gathering.

Another note on holiday gatherings: As you attend various functions, always remember to dress for success. While a formal suit may not always be appropriate, you do not want to show up in jeans and a cute holiday sweater, either. Keep your look professional at all times because you never know when you may meet that key contact. In fact, as you go about your personal business of shopping, etc, it is a good idea to dress more professionally as you never know who you might meet.

Holiday Cards – Another Tool

The holidays mean holiday cards. What does this mean for job seekers? It is yet another avenue for connecting with your network. In the world of marketing, there is the “Rule of Seven”. A person needs to see a product or name seven (7) times in order to remember it. The holidays offer the chance to send holiday greetings to the people in your network and get your name out there one more time. Choose cards that are simple and non-religious. Send cards to people you have met with over the past year in the course of your job search. This is a good chance to offer thanks, good wishes, and to remind people you are still out there.

Sources for this article:

1. “How to Use the Holidays to Job Search” by Alison Doyle.
   http://jobsearch.about.com/od/networking/a/holiday.htm Date accessed: 10-17-07
   
2. “Tips to Maximize Your Holiday Job Search”
   http://www.hirediversity.com/tools/news/story.asp?id=13557 Date accessed: 10-17-07