December 2005
A Christmas Stocking Stuffer
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
December 2005
A Christmas Stocking Stuffer
By
President of Workforce Associates
and author of
NetWork: Maximizing Your Career Resources on the Internet
Available online and in print from Author House
This is where you have to get creative! For example, you might Google the company to find out the staff directory and contact the HR or hiring manager through their company email address.
I’d also suggest your Googling the name of the HR person to find out more about them. For example, you may find out that they are on a soccer team, have a child in the same school that yours attends, share the same university alma mater, have a similar membership in a tennis club, gardening club, church, the local chapter of a professional society, etc. etc.
The point is that you’re trying to connect with that HR person on more than a Dear Sir/Madam level.
Tis the season for presents and here’s a big one for you! There’s a new website called the International Association of Employment Web Sites that’s just been launched. You can find it at http://www.employmentwebsites.org/ Peter Weddle of www.weddles.com is the mastermind behind the effort to have a good housekeeping seal of approval for the 40,000+ job boards on the Internet. Every site that joins this Association commits to upholding the highest standards of integrity for its members and visitors to each of these sites.
While the site was just launched last month, there’s plenty of great information for job seekers already. First of all, there are dozens of reputable job boards that have already agreed with Peter’s concept. You can find hotlinks from them to better paying jobs in all industries around the US, with a majority of sites presently in the Northeast.
Secondly, Peter continues to offer great advice to job hunters. My favorite of his tips is the One-Two punch:
- Prepare your customized electronic resume and submit it for consideration by the company that has advertised on that particular job board.
- Figure out how to connect to that company’s HR director or someone in management through the Internet to make your application stand out among the myriads of others submitted.
What are some other ways in which you get on to someone’s radar screen this holiday season? Here are several activities to further your job search:
A) Take full advantage of your local Chamber of Commerce’s December meet market get-togethers where you can boldly and baldly market your talents and skills. These are generally free events that are well worth your time and attention. Make sure that you have business cards with your educational degrees, descriptive keywords, cell phone number, and email address.
B) Attend the holiday social events at your local professional association. December tends to be the month when business is not conducted, so it’s easier to circulate in a room and find out what’s happening in the job market in your field and plans for hiring in 2006.
C) Volunteer at a food bank or in holiday church activities. Fellow volunteers tend to be social people who want to help. Why wouldn’t they want to help you?
D) Find a job searching support group in your town, a reading club, Toastmasters, a language group, food and wine group, or outdoors club to improve your ties with the outside world. Many of them start up in January and they’re generally always looking for keen new members.
E) Contact your alumni association at your university and high school. Now is the time for parties for old timers to reconnect and share the holiday cheer. Once again, take your business card and circulate widely.
F) Hold an open house at your home for friends and neighbors. This an inexpensive way to bring potential job contacts to you and put you in an optimistic holiday mood!
G) Research certificate programs and short courses at your local community college or university. Most of these start up in January. It’s a terrific Christmas present to yourself. Plus it will give you ample opportunity to connect with folks who also are upgrading their skills. Your next employer will appreciate your gumption and motivation to learn new techniques, trends, and information.
H) Spend time in your local library, reading business journals and books and newspapers. You will find motivated, well-educated library professionals who can offer the benefit of their expertise and experience to help you explore new opportunities and research companies in ways that you may not have thought of before. Many business services departments offer free seminars in job searching to take advantage of.
Wishing you the very best of holidays! Hope that your stocking is stuffed with lots of peace and opportunities and joy. See you next year --
Jane M. Lommel, Ph.D.
jlommel@WorkforceAssociates.com
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