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‘Tis the season… to Network!

Shopping. Eating. Decorating. Family. Traditions. More shopping. More eating. All hallmarks of the “holiday season.” Well, contrary to popular belief and according to Right Management, the holidays also can be a great time to make connections and job hunt because:

• Managers are thinking about next year’s budgets and the positions approved and want to get a head start so people will be in place by the first of the year.
• Schedules are often more relaxed, and people have time for phone calls or lunch.
• It is a time for goodwill; people are in a “giving” frame of mind during the holiday season and will be more receptive to helping.

 So, consider attending every holiday party or event you can find… to network! Networking done over the holidays can have an impact when done without haste and with taste so:

• Be sensitive to the season (Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa) with your greetings.
• Relax and have fun!
• This is a time to open doors and get referrals. Nurture relationships. Get contacts and referrals but be careful not to be overly aggressive and send the wrong holiday message. At the same time be prepared to briefly talk about your career aspirations if asked.
• As always, thank people for their interest and suggest that you will contact them after the holidays so they can enjoy the event. Exchange business cards.
• Send holiday greetings to people in your network, people with whom you have interviewed, recruiters, and thank them again for their support.
• Scale down your “30 second commercial” for parties. And, use it to position yourself based on what you know about the person with whom you’re talking. Make it meaningful them; it’s not just about you.

The mantra… you never know who you’ll meet… And now, with a dash of holiday spirit, here are some thoughts on building your network:

• Treat office holiday festivities as business functions, not a party to tie one on. If you volunteer for an organization, attend its holiday event, end-of-year awards ceremony or fundraiser.
• Your alma mater is also a great networking opportunity that many people forget about after graduation. They provide a built-in connection and are ready to help connect alumni. Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business is a network of 88,000+ alumni, and has provided me with an amazing network, connections, opportunities and education. Don’t forget about sororities, fraternities or other college organizations.
• Attend the December meetings of industry trade or professional organizations. If you’re thinking about changing industries or jobs, take a look at professional organizations in those areas instead of sticking to your current area. It will help you learn about a new area, gain different perspectives, and meet new people. Of course, there’s always the local chamber, Kiwanis, Rotary and the like.
• Online networking is relatively new, but can provide opportunities. LinkedIn and Plaxo are popular ones for business. You can join interest groups, research companies, people and find job openings. You never know if someone in your network has a connection to a company or a job that’s of interest to you. 
• Who’s in your network is important, too. While it’s good to get together with your peers in other companies, they can be competitors during a job search. Think of expanding your network to include people higher up the organizational ladder as well as those in other lines of related work.

Feel free to share other thoughts on networking — during the holidays or anytime!