5 Ways to Cultivate Your Network Over the Holidays

The end of the year is approaching and you likely have a lot to do before taking some time off over the holidays. Without adding to your stress here are 5 ways to cultivate and enhance your network over the next few weeks.

1. Attend that holiday party. Yes, sometimes the company party seems like a waste of time and you're tempted to skip it or make a brief appearance. Resist that temptation. The company party is a good opportunity to develop deeper relationships with others in your company as you likely will have a chance to talk about more than just work. Going beyond the superficial discussion of projects can enhance the relationships with those you work with and provide new career opportunities in the future. And, at the holiday party, you just might get some time to talk with the company president or CEO.

2. Send a card to your top 5 business associates. If your company uses freelancers or vendors for any part of the business be sure to send a card of thanks to the most important ones you work with. Personalize the card and use it as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship you have. You never know, you just might want to contact one of these vendors or freelancers for a job in the future.

3. Smile and bring some joy to your coworkers. Build on your relationships with coworkers by having a positive attitude over the holiday. By smiling and being positive you can help to reduce the stress your colleagues might be experiencing. Some holiday cookies might even help too!

4. Send an email of thanks to your colleagues. Think about some of your colleagues and co-workers and consider those who have helped you in some way over the past year. It's unlikely you're a lone ranger so you probably depend on support from many others in your company. Prepare a brief email of thanks for some of these partners and you'll likely make their day and strengthen your relationship with them.

5. Send a note of good wishes to new contacts. Have you attended a conference or networking event during this past year? Perhaps you've started doing business with another company or vendor. If so, take a few minutes to send a note of reintroduction, extending well wishes for a happy holiday and new year.

If you spend a few hours implementing some of the ideas above over the next few weeks you'll likely strengthen your network and deepen your friendships, helping you enjoy your job and career even more.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Networking Tips and How to Start a New Job Right

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• 6 Holiday Networking Tips: "Be curious, and show an interest in others ... ask interesting questions that demonstrate you know something but want to know more."


• 10 Warning Signs You Need a Career Change: "If you lose sleep over the thought of going to work in the morning, it may be time to pack up with the little shred of sanity you have left."


• 3 Tips to Hit the Ground Running at Your New Job: "Your company would not have hired you if you were not exceptional. So be true to who you are, be comfortable being who you are, and be comfortable letting your voice be heard."


• What to do (and not do) at the Office Holiday Party: "Introduce yourself to key players within the corporation and make a good impression by maintaining eye contact, shaking hands and remembering names."


• What to Do When Your Boss Doesn't Like You: "No matter what the situation or the cause of the issue, get stuff done, share the credit, and ask how else you can help—those are tried-and-true strategies for building a solid relationship with your boss."

The Holiday Recipe for Strategic Networking

It is the time of year for two very important things - baking and holiday parties. Since I don't think you follow this blog to receive my recipe for Christmas tree-shaped almond butter cookies (which are fabulous, by the way), let's talk about your recipe for networking strategically at all these upcoming holiday parties.

• The stock of your networking recipe is a gallon of good cheer at the prospect of attending. The thought of attending a party with people I don't know puts me in a cold sweat. However, if you go into the event with the thought that you are there to have a good time, bring holiday wishes, and make new connections you will be much more successful.

• You next need to add a cup of preparation. Go into every holiday event with a clear definition of what you are looking for. Networking in any setting will never be successful if you do not have a goal in mind. When you meet someone, be sure to introduce yourself, tell them your specialty, and subtly tell them how they can help you. For example you might say: "My name is John Smith, I am a civil engineer. I specialize in residential design and quality control to ensure designs are cost-effective and safe. I unfortunately find myself unemployed this holiday season, but I am looking to land with a company that needs someone with my skills. I would appreciate it if you would keep me in mind if you hear of anything."

• Add a teaspoon of helpfulness. The key to networking is that you must always be on the lookout for ways you can help other people. It is so gratifying to know that you connected someone with their potential employer or made an introduction that led to another person's success. You know what they say about putting good things out into the world - they will come back to you!

• Last, add a dash of follow up. It does you no good to make these connections without following up on  them. Go home and connect with the people you meet on LinkedIn by sending them a personalized invitation about meeting them at the party. The next day write them a nice email reminding them of all the things you discussed at the party. Within the next month - holidays are a busy time - touch base with them and offer to buy them a cup of coffee and sit down to talk with them one-on-one.

Many people give up their job search during the holidays. However, it is the perfect time to take advantage of all the social opportunities and optimize everyone's sense of good cheer. Have an fruitful and prosperous holiday networking season!

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• 6 Steps for Rekindling Your Career in 2013: "Tis the season to begin thinking about New Year's resolutions. Get a jump start on your career and professional development by including some of these items to your list."


• 8 Tips for How to Ask for a Raise: "Don’t just go storming into your manager’s office and pound your fist on their desk asking for more pay.  Keep track of your performance as you go through the year.  Gather data and statistics that clearly demonstrate your contributions."


• 14 Ways to Stay Focused at Work Through the Holidays: "
  Avoid multitasking. Work on one project at a time ... 
  In addition, try to avoid working on personal and work-related tasks at the same time
  ."


• 6 Lessons From a Work-From-Home Mom and CEO: "There are countless studies that show working from home can be more productive than working in a traditional office setting with benefits such as fewer interruptions from colleagues, less office politics to deal with, a work environment that's in your control, etc. BUT, in order to benefit from these, you really need to be disciplined with your focus and time."


• How to Win New Contacts and Job-Search Allies at Holiday Parties: "Make sure you follow through with anything you said you'd do during your first conversation and don't squander potential opportunities by failing to keep in touch. When you do, you'll have a better chance of adding new allies to your job search efforts."

How to Optimize Holiday Party Networking Contacts

Most holiday parties have come to a close and although you may
still have some opportunities at the upcoming New Year’s Eve parties, it is
time to plan how you can take full advantage of the new contacts you made
during holiday festivities. Congratulations to you for going out on a limb and
taking the initiative to make new networking connections at these events. However,
now you may be asking yourself what to do next. Here are some tips to help you
optimize these new relationships.

> Follow up with these new contacts as soon as possible.
If you have not yet touched base with your new contact, it is time to reach out
to them. The longer you wait, the more likely you will be forgotten in the
bustle of the holidays.

> Use the upcoming new year as an ice breaker. Send your
new contact a card, email, or voice message with wishes for a Happy New Year
and inquire about the remainder of their holiday since you last saw each other.

> When you make the initial contact, remind them where
and when you met and who introduced you. Use the topic of your conversation –
your shared interests or goals – as a reminder of your conversation. Remind
them of how you can be a resource for them and clearly express what you are looking
for from them as a networking contact.

> Search for the person on social networking sites such
as http://www.linkedin.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/. This is a way to
reconnect without asking for too much of their time.

> Don’t wear out your welcome before you make an honest
connection. Keep in mind that people are often just returning from work after
an extended absence and they may not be able to get back to you right away. Be
respectful of their time, their schedule, and their other commitments.