Making the Most of Your Job Search in the New Year
In This Issue:
Everyone loves the holidays. The months of November and December are filled with rest, food, relaxation, food, family and…probably some more food and rest. While year-end rest is important, make sure your career doesn’t take a winter-long nap. Don’t let all the hard work you put into your job search last year get left behind in the fog of tinsel and lights. January is the best time of year to revamp and ramp up your search efforts. Consider the following our New Year’s resolutions suggestions--the top ten ways to find that dream job in 2010.
Resolution #1: Follow up on Networking Connections. December provided excellent networking opportunities due to weekly holiday happy hours, parties, and year-end events. Make the most of these opportunities by following up with any new connections you made or even those with whom you re-connected. It is important to keep yourself visible and on their radar as they gear up for the New Year and make potential hiring decisions.
Resolution #2: Send Thank-you notes. Send thank-you notes or personalized messages to your contacts to let them know they are valued and that you appreciated the time they spent talking with you, having lunch, or giving you the lead on a job opportunity (even if it didn’t work out).
Resolution #3: Get Personal. Whether sending a thank-you note, networking or meeting with contacts, don’t just talk business. Try to discuss something that you know about them personally: ask what they did for the holidays, how their children are doing, if they are taking that trip to the Bahamas again this year, etc.
Resolution #4: Set up meetings. Get ahead of the competition by reaching out to people you connected with in December and setting up New Year meetings. Getting on their calendar early is important as they start planning for budgets, hiring, etc. in 2010.
Resolution #5: Volunteer. There are endless opportunities for community involvement and volunteering during the holidays. Make it a resolution to recommit to volunteering all year long. Volunteer events are the best way to meet people outside of a typical networking environment. It allows others to see you in a “working” environment and shows your concern for the community. Making a connection in this setting can be priceless, and you get to help others at the same time. Volunteering also builds character by caring for the needs of others. This attitude will be seen by potential employers, who are eager to hire those with such a focus. It’s a win-win.
Resolution #6: Show Generosity. If the holidays remind us of anything, it is that it is better to give than to receive. This is true even when you are in the midst of looking for employment. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a generous gesture. Remembering a contact’s special occasion and taking them out for coffee is a generous gift of your time and an easy way to spread the spirit of giving. Also, it encourages you to redirect the focus from yourself to others, which may be the most important factor of all.
Resolution # 7: Assess Your Skills. Make a New Year’s resolution to get to know yourself better. Consider using a scientific tool to assess your strengths (and weaknesses) in order to help you discern the ideal position and work environment for your gifts and personality. Check out proven tools like The DiSC Profile, StrengthsFinder, and Myers-Briggs.
Resolution #8: Meet with a Mentor. The New Year can be a great time to connect with a mentor or career coach. Like assessment tools, mentors may not find you a job, but they can provide some much needed wisdom, perspective and encouragement.
Resolution #9: Reprioritize. Take advantage of the New Year to look at what’s important in your life and re-prioritize. This can give you a fresh perspective on your goals and open you up to other career possibilities. Refocus, refresh and renew your life and career goals heading into the New Year.
Resolution #10: Stay Motivated. The hardest part about a holiday break is getting back into the groove. Make sure you keep active in your search and use the momentum of the New Year to find new ways of marketing yourself and making connections so that you can come away with that dream job this year.