'Tis the Season. . . to Network for a Job

This is THE WEEK. It seems like every holiday party on the planet is happening this week. If you were thinking of skipping any of them, THINK again!

Contrary to popular belief, December is one of the best times to be job hunting! It's only perception that might make you think that hiring slows down in December. That hiring managers and or decision makers will be taking the month off for vacation. Or just mentally checking out while surfing the net (and hopefully reading this blog).

Trust me, no one in their right mind is "checking out" this year. Everyone is quietly freaking out about the state of the economy and wondering if the ax is going to fall. What does this mean for you? It means there are plenty of folks sitting in their offices working feverishly hard trying to be as productive and “indispensable” as possible. Great news for you, because all of these decision makers would love to end their year on a really nigh note; i.e. finding that star performer who’s going to save their company from ruin and themselves from losing their job. (Okay, maybe not literally. But I promise you that underlying current is just floating under the surface this year.)

So here are my tips to make the most of your job search during this holiday season.

If you are jobless and hunting right now:

You have got to get into the game! You need to go to every association function that you can possibly find this month. If there are two events in one night, you need to HIT both. I also recommend looking for the Chamber of Commerce or similar functions nearby. You need to strike up conversations with everyone you see that night. The idea is to come across as friendly, outgoing, and the knowledgeable expert in your field. And you have got to have business cards to take with you, and you HAVE to get business cards from the folks you speak to, so that you’ll be able to follow-up on those conversations come January 2nd.

I’m hear to tell you that if you have one free/empty night this week – YOU ARE SLACKING. If you can’t find a business related association event to go to one night, get creative. Look for philanthropic volunteer-related events you can attend. Of course, I’m not recommending spending tons of money for any of this. But you should be able to find networking functions for a very reasonable price (many association functions are free for members). I do not recommend wasting your time at “jobseeker networking events” this month unless you’re in a complete pinch to find an event to go to that evening. These are usually a bunch of other people out of work just like you. How are these folks going to help you get into contact with decision makers? I would only suggest going if you are sure that recruiters or hiring businesses will be in attendance as well.

Your job, until you get one that hands you a paycheck, is to be looking for work. If you can’t get in to meet with an HR manager, recruiter, or hiring professional right now because someone actually is actually taking vacation time, then set up appointments for the first week of January. Take someone from your local association group to coffee – ostensibly to catch up, but really to pick their brain about what’s happening and who’s hiring in your industry.

If you're receiving a paycheck right now:

Count your many blessings. AND GO TO THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY. Use this time to chat up the powers that be. The work party is also a great time to, without a$$kissing, strike up a conversation with a boss-type and complement them on something they did throughout the year. The idea is to be the guy/gal whose name pops in their mind when that new project begins in January and they are looking for people to work on it.

Remember, that most folks think they don’t want to talk about work during an office party. A complement is a nice low-key way to be friendly and open and nice, without looking desperate and pathetic. Build the relationship, so you’ll be able to go to them in January and work your way into their graces and into new and more responsibilities. And hey, even if you’re getting a paycheck, it’s important to attend any networking association meetings this season as well. So go back to the paragraphs above and re-read them.

Does everyone see the pattern emerging now? December is a “gift” for the networking individual. You’ve got low-pressure, ready-made networking functions just waiting for you to attend. This month your goal is to build relationships with everyone you meet. You just never know who might be the gatekeeper to your dream job. You can’t sit back and wait for your dream job to come to you. It just won’t. So this month it’s time to dust off your fancy shoes and party like it’s almost 2009.

Julie Mendez

Calling all job-search/career related questions!

I am looking for material to write about. I would love the input, so please email me any resume, job search, interview, or career related questions you might have! (JulieMendez@jsmcareercoaching.com) (Feel free to pass this along to anyone you think might be interested. I'm looking to get a wide range of questions so the blog will be busy and interesting!)

I can't promise that I will answer every single question, but I will be using the majority as my starting base for the next few months -- at least until I get rolling with enough of my own. Keep an eye out for your question!

Thanks!
Julie Mendez

100 Days Left in 2008

This morning I received an email in my inbox, stating that September 22nd marks 100 days until the end of 2008. I'm a big fan of goal setting, and each New Year's Day I write up a detailed list of goals for myself. So, reading that was quite a wake-up call for myself (and I hope for you too!).

I love the idea this email was advertising -- a "Finish Strong" challenge. ("The 100 Day Finish Strong Challenge is a structured performance improvement program where challengers compete against themselves to achieve a number of challenging goals and finish the year strong.")

I encourage each of you to think about what finishing 2008 strong would mean to you and your career. You don't have to pay fees to jump on the bandwagon and join this challenge on your own!

1. First of all, decide on your goals. Be specific, be realistic, be focused.

2. Write them down. Goals mean nothing unless you commit to them on paper.

3. Now you need to commit. Are you willing to buckle down and focus on these goals, so you can achieve your dreams? Be honest and serious with yourself. Perhaps your goal is slightly too large, so revise your list to what is truly possible before December 31st.

4. The next step is to make your plan. You now have less than 100 days to complete these goals, so no monkeying around! Are there outside resources you need to make these a reality?

5. Pull out your calendar/datebook, and start marking down personal deadlines, to-do lists, and chart your path through the rest of this year. Yes, this might feel like you're cutting off all spontaneity, but in my experience organization=freedom. The organization you do now will keep you focused, and allow you the freedom of truly working through each step and successfully achieving your goal.

6. Commit again. Okay, you've make your plan and written everything down in your personal organizer, but that means squat unless you actually do it. So that's why I say that once you've gone through all of these steps, you've got to commit once again to your goals. Review them one more time. Is this what you really want? Yes? So go for it!

7. Post your goals and your plan everywhere! Share the with your support team. Telling others about your goals it like the earlier step of writing them down. Make yourself accountable to others makes success much more likely.

Keep me in the loop! I look forward to hearing all about your success stories, and writing about them here at the end of the year!

Julie Mendez