A nice way to thank and maintain your network during the holidays is to send a holiday card to acknowledge those who have helped
you in your job search during the year, notes Minneapolis-based StarTribune.com. It can also be a way to network with others and
keep in touch with those you have built relationships with.
What the card does is put your name in front of the contact, and it's likely they will reflect, even if briefly, on how they know you,
have worked with you, or conducted business with you in the past. It's important to send more generic cards rather than
religious holiday greetings or even Santa-related greetings. Happy New Year is even safer. There are also cards that
creatively address all the holidays in one card.
Continuing the holiday networking theme, Debra Feldman of JobWhiz.com
offers an expanded view of how to make the most of your contacts at the end of the year: "December offers lots of
opportunities to get out and circulate, to network in person, over the phone, via email, and through
holiday cards. To maximize the value of your networking efforts, be sure to do proper followup on the
December contacts in January by getting back in touch and staying current on their radar screen.
Persistence is a guaranteed advantage in the job market. For any job-hunters who find setting up networking
meetings difficult, holiday time is an ideal chance to invite someone you need (or want) to know to join
you for a festivity -- offer them a ride, provide directions, give them an admission ticket, remind them
about location, time and date, etc.
"The holiday season offers so many occasions to make small talk about subjects most of us are comfortable discussing like family,
holidays, shopping, parties, the weather, special plans, etc. People find lots to share when it comes to the holidays;
these topics will help to break awkward silences or can be used to warm up a conversation. It's about connecting
with individuals, which further strengthens and builds relationships. Good interpersonal interactions promote positive
networking experiences that can be leveraged to identify unadvertised positions or openings in the hidden job
market. These may include leads about possible or planned restructurings, new initiatives, acquisitions
and divestitures, mergers, retirements and other situations that produce new challenges for an organization."
Much of the networking buzz these days is about online social networking -- aided by the explosion of
technology-enabled platforms -- but the art of building and maintaining personal and professional relationships
is as old as time.
In each of the 15 years ExecuNet, the executive career and business networking organization, has published its
Executive Job Market Intelligence Report, networking has consistently ranked as the single most effective method
for developing job opportunities - often generating nearly twice as many interviews at the executive level than any
other activity.
"While technology has proven to be an invaluable resource for maintaining a network, the operative word is maintaining," says
Dave Opton, CEO and founder of ExecuNet. "The most effective personal and professional networks are built on trust, which
remains largely a product of consistent, in-person interaction."
To help executives improve the quality of their networks, ExecuNet offers the following advice:
- Offer Help Before Asking For It. The underlying philosophy of effective networking is to give before you take. By approaching
networking from the perspective of meeting the needs of others, you will not only earn greater appreciation and respect, but your
actions will often be quickly reciprocated.
- Avoid "Needworking." A contact list of hundreds or even thousands of people is useless if you only reach out to them
when you are in need. To avoid this "needworking," start by contacting one person from your
existing contact list each day. Find out what they have been doing (or do a little research of your own for a great
conversation starter), what is going on in their life, and if there is anything you can do for them. You will be surprised how
helpful this approach can be when you actually do need something.
- Don't Be Shy. The best networking technique is to simply make it a way of life. Whether you are standing in line at the bank, sitting in
a waiting room, or playing golf, don't be afraid to start up a conversation with a stranger. Start off with a general conversation and see where it leads.
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