Peter N.
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What are your best holiday networking suggestions?
There are plenty of job seekers who will be in the job search, regardless of the notion that many hiring managers and HR will be out of the office.
What should these job seekers be doing for the next 1.5 months?
Good Answers (16)
Jean-Paul R.
Accomplished Multi Site Retailer ★ Hospitality Operations & Brand Leader ★ Real Ale, Micro Brewery & Craft Beer Champion
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I am such a job seeker and on my previous experiences of both searching and hiring in the past I would suggest;
1- Assume its business as normal for everyone so don't stop or slow down because nothing beats goal focused persistence. KEEP BEING ACTIVE
2- December may be quieter but January can be a big month for Organisations hiring so find any knowledge you can about the market and companies as to what may be happening at the start of the new year.
2a- Plenty of trade/web press will be doing reviews of 2009 and add their industry wide predictions for 2010, what are thoese opportunities for job seekers like us?
3- Believe in the numbers game in that fewer folks around works on both sides favour and better chances for the job seeker
4- Sure some HR may be out of the office but what about everyone else? What about key managers and Directors who could be a better initial contact anyway.
5- Folk may be out of the office but most will still want to keep in touch with their emails and that includes Linked In so still be active.
6- Talk to your key mentors (and find a few if you dont have any), some businesses are more quiet into December and that offer of a lunch or a coffee to network directly and get some great advice will be more likely to happen now.
7- Christmas is a great excuse to reconnect with any lapsed connections and a great time to make new ones
All the best
Jean-Paul
russekjp@yahoo.com
Brian M.
CEO at ComposeTheFuture
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1. Working their personal/business networks
2. Asking for recommendations (LinkedIn) and references
3. Contracting if possible, volunteering if not
4. Spending quality time with friends & family
5. Cross skilling / re-skilling
6. Researching - who are the best prospects (network, companies, industries) to target
I agree, don't assume that this time of year is unproductive. Many lower level employees who would normally be the "gatekeeper" are using vacation. Now is an optimal time to reach decision makers.
It might be useful to reconnect with hiring managers that you have contacted in the past to see if any new openings have become available.
Sahar A.
Diversity& Inclusion|Leadership training|Social Media Marketing|Social Media Training|Public Speaker|Culture Competence
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Peter:
Volunteer to help whenever possible
Send greetings that are hand written whenever possible
Send Emails greetings when only Email available
Attend the holidays parties (Associations, friends, chamber of commerce)
Make sure to always have business cards on them even of they just have a name, profession and contact
Make sure they have a personal website or a visual CV
Clarification added November 24, 2009:
There are a lot of holidays for all faiths coming up so to make sure that the holidays are addressed properly to whoever they greet
- Thanksgiving
- Eid El Adha (Bairam)
- Hanukkah
- Kwanza
- Christmas
- New year
Barrett P.
Senior Financial Executive, Consultant, C.P.A.
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Maintain the "business" of your search on a normal basis. Also remember, in all groups of three or more, don't take a collection - network! I once made a contact while Christmas shopping for my wife with another guy doing the same thing.
Barrett Peterson, CPA
Barrett Peterson, CPA
kevin K.
Management Consultant, writer, past TV show producer,
Best Answers in: Job Search (1), Ethics (1), Telecommunications (1)
setting up their own PT or FT companies; they
can't do worse!
Mark W.
Job search wizard, Coach,Staffing Consultant, Trainer
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Do not make the mistake of assuming this is an unproductive time.Right about now many job hunters are starting to feel the beginnings of some holiday depression. Let’s face it; being unemployed during the holidays sucks especially when combined with financial problems. To make matters worse you are hearing friends, peers and even some so called experts tell you that you can’t accomplish anything from mid November until mid January. “They” say that during the holidays interview processes slow or stop altogether, new positions won’t be approved, decision makers are taking lots of time off, people just are not in the mood etc...Etc... “They” suggest that you take some time off from your search, relax and recharge so that you are ready to get back to it after the holidays. Sound familiar?
As a jobseeker this should actually be your busiest season. Keep doing what you have been doing but double your efforts. The biggest dilemma facing job hunters is that there are so many of them.
I have been in the employment business for 30 years and this is by far the most competitive market I have ever seen. The only way you are going to find and land the job you want is to do more than the competition and do it better. That sounds like pretty simple advice but it is very hard to pull off. You must constantly be looking for methods, strategies and tactics that set you apart from the other 500 candidates who chase every opportunity you do. This is the best time of the year to do this for the simple reason that many of your competitors won’t even be trying.
One of the reasons that I was always a top producer as a recruiter was that I got more done during the holidays. I let everybody go on thinking that they couldn't get much done. Assuming that it was a non-productive time they got lazy and didn't try. I on the other hand doubled my efforts while my competition sat on the sidelines consequently my most productive months every year were November to January.
You should approach looking for a job the same way. Let your competition take a break, have a little fun and expect a slow down while you are out kicking ass and taking names. When your competitors get serious again around January 15th one of the jobs they would have gone after will be gone because you have it or are so far ahead in the process that they will not get a chance to catch up.
Links:
Sharpen the saw. Request books, or other learning materials as early Christmas presents. Be ready to go Jan 1.
I would not completely shut down the search, still plenty of holiday parties where a little networking can go a long way.
Aaron M.
Host at The Exchange (Blog Talk Radio)
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Find other professionals in your field (bosses), get together with some good food and drink, and discuss strategies for the new year. Take this information, and use this time for reflection and to create personal benchmarks.
Susan S.
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., financial marketing writer.
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I have been out of work for holidays, or have expected to be. They don't call them the Howlidays for nothing.
Expect things to be slower. When you go to a gathering of people, take it easy: no one's up for pressure.
Don't overeat or drink too much ANYWHERE. You'll feel awful, and you might be a sad kind of drinker.
Don't push. People are feeling festive, just when you may be feeling the most desperate.
DON'T play with your plastic to compensate. If you can't give what you used to, give what you can: if you can't, people will get it, and if they don't, they're not people you need around.
Do some acting. No one expects you to be the life of the party, but you shouldn't bring down people or drill in to network too earnestly.
When you -do- make contacts, be sure to wish them happy holidays or whatever greeting seems most appropriate to you.
Good luck!
Steven B.
Senior Financial and Business Professional, Board Member & Devoted Father
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be out there, meet people, offer help... smile often :)
Melanie M.
Vice President - Sales, RAZR Marketing
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Hi Peter :
Network! Network! Network! Most people are in pretty good...and generous...moods between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's just the season. So, set up coffees (bring a cup of coffee in for someone you want to interview with), set up lunches, stop by the office.
Do a lot of : "NEXTWORKING" - networking for your next interview.
melanie @ InterviewSmartz
Michael L. A.
Vice President - Business & Commercial - Professional Banking - at Sterling National Bank
If you've been networking consistently throughout the year, then remain consistent. If you've not been networking previously, then the holiday season is great to get involved. But remember, networking should be an ongoing process, not a sporadic or one time approach. The holiday season will only enhance relationships and relationship building and better position you for the coming year. Happy Networking Holidays To All! Mike
Stay focused. Some try to cool down, but it's important to rethink the hunting strategy for the year to come at least.
Joseph M.
Assisting organizations to achieve excellence through leadership.
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There are a number of companies that have a fiscal year ending Dec. 31st. These are the companies that have been working on their budgets for 2010 and burning up their 2009 budgets. These are the companies that will likely be hiring in January or February. So this is the time to network into these companies.
While the managers will be busy with budgets the workers will be slowing down the closer it gets to holiday. So they will be more open to networking.
Then you can also be working your network for the next cycle at the end of June for those companies that have the other fiscal year.
You should always be working your network for your target companies.
