With the holidays in full swing, sometimes job seekers can get a holiday hangover when applying for jobs. Sending out resumes to random job postings can be cumbersome, monotonous and often resulting in nothing. For those who are tired of blasting their resumes into the online employment abyss to countless unknown names and contacts, I have a solution for you…use your own professional network.
There is never a better time to get reacquainted with your network than during the holidays. With the dozens of holiday happenings and events, getting out there an interacting with former colleagues is an excellent way to pick up on job opportunities. With that, take the following advice and make the most out of your holiday job search:
- Associations & Groups: A great way to open dialogue with a former colleague is to find what groups or associations they belong to. Shoot them an email, ask them if they’re attending an industry event this holiday season, or if they can recommend a group to join. Making simple inquires like these can really open some great dialogue with your situation and what you’re looking for in a position.
- Research: Mark the jobs you’re interested in and use your professional network or contacts on LinkedIn to do research on those positions and their department managers. Are these key contacts planning on attending any industry events? Does anyone in your network have a relationship with that person and could possibly provide an introduction?
- Get Uncomfortable in your Job Search: Sitting back and expecting people to reach out to you isn’t realistic. I find many times with job seekers; they are more comfortable sending out random resumes instead of tapping into their own professional network. Don’t take the comfort route. Connect with those you’ve worked with before and more often than not, you’ll uncover an opportunity.
- Your Personal Pitch: Make sure you have your 30-second pitch down about who you are and what you do. Remember some colleagues might not have seen you in years and will want to know what you’ve been up to. For a potential employment opportunity, be sure to expand your pitch to two minutes. Have your cards available too. If you’re looking for ways on improving your pitch, check out our Elevate Your Pitch to Perfection post.
If you’ve been looking for an opportunity for some time, don’t let the holidays get you down. Stay focused on reconnecting with you professional network and get a jump-start on the New Year.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ingrid Moore
Ingrid Moore is the Founder and CEO of Corporate Resources of Illinois, an employment & staffing agency with over 20+ years’ experience located in Schaumburg, IL. Ingrid and her team assist employers with finding the right hire for their business. For more info, follow us on our LinkedIn Company Page, or follow us Corporate Resources of Illinois‘s Google+ page.
