Get into the Holiday Spirit for a New Job

With unemployment at double digits throughout much of the country, and with serious concerns about joblessness weighing on the nation, “job shopping is a holiday priority for many”. Even though a layoff or job change can put a real damper on one’s Holiday spirit, now is not the time to slow your networking and job search efforts.

Total Career Success, Inc., a career transition firm specializing in helping individuals transition to better jobs for better pay and advance their careers, encourages job seekers to use the holiday spirit to their advantage. Ken Dawson, CEO of Total Career Success and co-author of Job Search: The Total System, 3rd edition, shared, “A common misconception about the holiday season is that business ceases when the festivities begin. The holidays are a social time with parties, association functions and increased travel. Smart job seekers use these holiday events to reconnect with old friends as well as develop their professional and personal contacts.”

Dawson added, “Networking, more than any other activity during the holidays, will help job seekers further their job hunts and position themselves to be ahead of their competition come January 4, 2010.” He recommends the following tips to ensure success in holiday job searches:

• Attend holiday parties and join the festivities. You can make excellent contacts, which may otherwise take weeks to uncover. Given that the number one reason people find new positions is a positive attitude, be sure your holiday spirits include being positive and upbeat about your future.
• Be open about your job search and share information not only about what you are seeking, but exchange information you have gained which can benefit others. Remember giving is better than receiving, and in this situation it will create better results for you!
• Use your holiday cards, hardcopy or electronic, to update your friends, associates and family on your current status. A note on a card is an upbeat way to get the word out. Then follow up to personally exchange greetings and contacts.
• If you’re going to be traveling, plan ahead and notify potential employers, and let them know you’ll be in town and would like to drop by. The out-of-towner has the psychological advantage over someone locally.
• Don’t hesitate to network with potential employers during the holiday season. With many companies in the midst of budget planning, managers may have tips on positions opening after the first of the year. And with company activities slowing during the holiday, it can be an ideal time to call a manager who may be catching up in his or her office.
• Don’t fall into the temptation to wait the holidays out by surfing the Internet. Online job leads are most productive when integrated with your networking. Also be careful when posting your resume on the Internet – many online resume services are not secure. Be sure the sites on which you post your resume have a posted privacy policy.
• Use the holidays to organize your job search. Do your homework, research companies, and be prepared for increased activity after the first of the year.

Sheryl Dawson, co-author of Job Search: The Total System, said, “Whether out of a job or anticipating the ‘axe,’ you shouldn’t use the holidays as an excuse not to pursue new opportunities. Many job seekers make the false assumption that the holidays are a bad time to search. Rather than slowing down job search activity, step up the pace.”

Following the techniques of Job Search: The Total System, job seekers can use the holiday season to organize their job search campaign, target companies, formulate strategies, establish their goals and develop action plans. Dawson went on to share, “The holidays can actually be an ideal time to prepare your job strategy so you can enter the New Year confident of your ability to sell yourself. The goal is not to simply get a job, but to advance your career and get a better job for better pay and a better life!”

Dawson added, “Of course the holidays are a perfect time to make contacts. Job seekers shouldn’t think they’d spoil the fun by letting people know they’re looking for work. With a cheerful attitude and a professional approach, a holiday job seeker has a definite edge over those who wait until after the New Year.”

Finally, Dawson cautioned, “Most of all, constructive activity helps eliminate the temptation for the job seeker to get down in the dumps during the holidays. No one likes a party pooper! Stay positive, flexible and proactive. Remember, you only need ONE job so do not focus on the unemployment statistics. Instead, focus on what you have to offer an employer – your skills, competencies and value. If your industry is down and you must consider alternative careers or industries, concentrate on your transferable skills. There is a job or opportunity that is right for you.”

Total Career Success, Inc., is an Internet career transition firm offering products and services to help people worldwide achieve their job search and career aspirations. Ken and Sheryl Dawson are the principals of Total Career Success and authors of Job Search: The Total System, 3rd edition. They have served corporations in outplacement and career development as well as talent management optimization for 30 years in their consulting firm Dawson Consulting Group. Ken and Sheryl Dawson also host a weekly internet radio show, Total Career Success, which is broadcast on VoiceAmerica, the world leader in Internet Talk Radio, and syndicated on World Talk Radio; the show aims to engage listeners in new ways of thinking about their potential, their goals, and their future. The show presents guests who are experts in their fields to share the lessons they have learned in succeeding in their various areas of excellence and to discuss tips about a broad range of career development issues, from specific career opportunities, to industries and workplace changes, to financial and advancement considerations. The show airs Mondays at 11:00am Central. The archived shows are available for replay or download at the Total Career Success website, or from iTunes. For more information, visit totalcareersuccess.com or voiceamerica.com and search for Total Career Success.

Posted by Sheryl Dawson

Sheryl Dawson is CEO of Career Partners International – Houston, a talent management firm in Houston, TX, and COO of Total Career Success, Inc., a job search and career development firm offering products and services to the retail, college and university career center, and professional association markets.  She is co-author of Job Search: The Total System, 3rd edition available at www.betterjobbetterlife.com  She co-hosts “Total Career Success,” an internet radio show on VoiceAmerica and World Net Radio http://www.tcsworldwide.com/showsArchived.shtml