Title:During the Holidays, Focus on Relationship Building
Author:Hannah Morgan
Date:December 2019
Source:Career Sherpa - Reprinted with permission
The holidays are for relationship building! Take advantage of the numerous casual events, that make for low-stress networking opportunities!
Maybe what you really want this holiday is a new job. Well, don't give up! Take advantage the holiday season to reconnect with old friends and enlist help from those who care!
More people land new jobs through networking than applying online.
Hiring Does Happen In December
Humor aside, there is hiring going on right now.
Some companies try to get in a new hire before the budget year ends. Other companies might be waiting for the new year to begin, however, don't let that slow down your efforts. Those companies are sourcing candidates right now for their January hiring.
Holiday Networking Events
From holiday parties to festive gatherings, you'll find lots of events on your community calendar.
- Professional associations
- Chamber of Commerce
- Job seeking groups
- Neighborhood gatherings
- Family gatherings
- Volunteer organizations and opportunities
- College/University Alumni parties
Read your local newspaper, search for groups on Facebook, check your school's alumni page and keep your eyes open. Here are 25+ places to network.
You can always invite a friend to meet you there if you have networking jitters.
Reach Out
The holidays are the perfect excuse to reach out to people and wish them well. Take extra time and effort to add a note with your holiday greeting cards to update people. Stay positive and be specific.
You can even reach out to past colleagues who may have a less busy schedule during the holidays. Ask if they would like to meet for coffee or virtually catch up.
Take Control of Your Holiday Job Search
Take a different job search strategy for the next 28 days. Focus on developing relationships. That is something you can control and feel positive about. There are tons of holiday events going on. Leverage these opportunities to meet new people.
If you are convinced there won't be as many jobs to apply for, then re-allocate your time.
- Update your marketing plan by adding more target companies.
- Invest time learning a new skill related to your work.
- Learn and use social media.
There are a lot of things you can do that are more productive.
Manage Your Time
Scheduling your time is going to make you feel more productive. Try, at least for this month, to block out hours of your day and assign networking activities to each block of time.
This article will help How to Allocate Your Time Wisely
Job Hunting During The Holidays
If you truly want that new job, you are going to have to work harder than ever before. But know that just because it's December doesn't mean organizations have stopped the hiring process. Use the holidays for relationship building!
