Twelve Ways of Networking for Jobs During the Holidays

Looking for a job during the holidays can be depressing, especially in this tough job market. But pick up your spirits by following these twelve strategies for increasing your success at job search in the holiday season. Inspired by a traditional song of the season, here are 12 tips to help you succeed at networking during the holiday season.

Twelve Referral Names
Networking during the holidays is a natural. If you are a party animal, it is easy. If you tend to stay at home and watch the Christmas shows and movies, you may need to adjust your routine. Set a goal of achieving 12 referrals a week. That means getting on the phone and calling contacts. Wishing them a merry Christmas is reason enough to call, but check out their website and see what is going on in their company. There may be topics you can discuss to show your interest. Always ask for the referrals before you close the conversation.

Eleven Christmas Notes
What better time than Christmas to send out cards, notes or email to keep in touch with your network? Eleven notes is just the beginning – set goals of 11 per day and you will really make some progress! Let them know what you are doing and ask about their business and lives as appropriate. If they have done something to help you, be sure to thank them.

Ten Cold Calls
Depending on your location in the country, there may be a chill in the air, and when it comes to cold calling it often feels frigid no matter where you live! People will do everything in their creative powers to avoid cold calls. I do not blame them – it is the least favorite task in the job search for most people. Even sales people hate cold calling. Even when you have done everything possible to warm up a call or contact, sometimes you just have to pick up the phone to make the connection. Once again, set a goal for the cold calls you need to make – maybe 10 each week is all you need to advance your target list. One of my favorite client stories is when an introverted research chemist was in our program. He could not seem to build up the courage to call people. Then one day he tried it and he was thrilled when he got an immediate interview and ultimately an offer. That will not happen on every cold call, but if you do not make the call, you may never know what leads you may gain.
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Nine Letters Mailed
Snail mail is not most people’s favorite way of communicating, but there are times when a letter is appropriate. If you do not know a contact well or cannot get their email address, or if they ask you to use standard mail, then send a letter with your resume. Emailing counts too, of course. If they ask for your resume by email, you will want to include a letter. A formal letter is best so they can scan it if they like, or print it and share it. Write form letters that have been carefully worded and proofed to save time. You can customize the first and last paragraphs as appropriate to create a more professional look and feel. Be cautious with email messages – they are as important to your image and brand, so write them with equal care.

Eight Network Contacts
All of your various networking strategies will lead to network contacts, but have a goal for expanding your network. Perhaps eight each day is attainable for you. If you do not have any goal, you will likely have less success. It is a proven fact that when you have a goal, write it down, and commit to it, you will be 65% more likely to succeed! Your contacts are the life blood of your job search. Treat them with respect and courtesy. Touch base frequently, and ask them what you can do for them. You will be amazed at how they will reciprocate.

Seven Follow up Emails
Follow up, follow up, and follow up — that is the name of the game. If you know about something that is happening in someone’s company or industry, follow up with that contact. If you have a new development that may interest that person, follow up. If you have not heard from them in a while, follow up. Email is usually a great way to do this and you can send it at any time. If you want productive ways to use your evening and weekend time, this may be on your to-do list. Do not over-rely on email and do not follow up daily or you may annoy your contacts. Be considerate of their time and the large number of emails people get. And whatever you do, do not send group email. There are times group email can be appropriate, but job search is not one of them.

Six Returned Calls
Not returning calls is definitely poor etiquette. Be sure to promptly return calls. If you have not heard from someone previously, you will want to check you target list of contacts and remind yourself of your relationship, how you got the person’s name, whether you sent them a letter and so on. You do not want to be caught off guard and out of the know.

Five Christmas Parties
If you like parties, maybe you can set a higher goal, but do NOT avoid parties because you are unemployed. Face-to-face networking is the best way to make connections. Go to breakfast, lunch and dinner networking sessions and association meetings as much as possible. Go prepared with some things to talk about. People may forget their business cards, so go prepared with something to write on in case you do meet someone with whom you want to follow up. And be sure to carry a business card of your own! Be the joy of the party – no negatives! People are there to have a good time and celebrate the season. Ask about them, their family, and their work. People love to talk about themselves. The time will come for you to share and then you can follow up to discuss mutual areas of interest and to obtain referrals.

Four Reference Letters
I know what you are thinking… what do reference letters have to do with networking? Everything. The people who are references for you are some of your best contacts. They should be on top of your contact list, and you should have written references from them. If you currently have only a list of references, advance your networking and your job search success by developing written references that validate your accomplishments and competencies. Having letters from your former boss, bosses boss, a colleague and someone who reported to you are excellent. Also consider vendors, internal clients, external clients, and other professional relationships, such as bankers, lawyers, or accountants, if they also know your work is excellent. You may want more than four if they can validate your accomplishments.

Three Interviews
Obviously networking leads to interviews sooner or later. The more networking, the more interviews. Set a goal for interviews and you will also do more networking. It is a real motivator to obtain an interview. If the opportunity does not work out, you can convert your interview contacts into network contacts. When you do land an interview, be sure to be fully prepared with knowledge of the company, the interviewers and the industry. Of course, preparing responses to likely questions is essential.

Two Job Offers
While you are at it, set a goal for job offers. The goal for every interview should be to get the offer. Planning and preparation is the key to getting the offer. We have seen less qualified candidates get the offer because they were better prepared. If you can get two offers simultaneously, all the better. You can use them as leverage for negotiations. You can compare them and select the best opportunity among your offers to ensure that you not only get “A” job, but a better job for better pay.

One A+ Resume
You will likely not be able to network effectively, get the interview or get the offer, if you do not have an excellent resume. Have you taken time to draft a two-page chronological resume that reflects all of your major accomplishments with quantified results? If not, take time to do so now. When you do you will build your confidence in your ability to network, and you will network with more people and gain more interviews, which will result in more job offers. The drive wheel of networking, your “A+” resume, is equivalent to the partridge in a pear tree: priceless!

About Total Career Success

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 Dawson 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 is 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 from the Total Career Success website or from iTunes. For more information, visit www.totalcareersuccess.com or voiceamerica.com and search for Total Career Success.

By: Sheryl Dawson

Sheryl Dawson is CEO of Dawson Consulting Group, 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.totalcareersuccess.com  She co-hosts “Total Career Success,” an internet radio show on VoiceAmerica and World Net Radio http://www.tcsworldwide.com/showsArchived.shtml