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As the days become colder and talk of the big Turkey Day increases you know the holidays are right around the corner. If you are job hunting during this period of the year you know that many companies are not hiring. However it is not all bad news, because many companies that fiscal year matches the calendar year spend November and December finalizing their updated business plans and budgets for the new year.

So during this time one strategy that could work for you is instead of talking directly to the human resources department do some research into the company and find out who could be an advocate for you. Who would have an easier time at work if you were hired? If you find this person you could send them a letter or even call them up and introduce yourself. Explain that you would like to apply for a position with their company, and stress that you would be a benefit to this contact.

As Dale Carnegie has said in his classic book “How to Win Friends & Influence People” you want to convince others that your best interest is actually in their best interest as well.

Another way of networking for jobs is to go out and meet people! During the holidays there are so many network opportunities. Take for instance the video here of Santa’s Surprise Spectacular event at the Porter County Museum. This event was a local free event for families to have a Christmas tree lighting and to welcome Santa Claus. At these types of events everyone is friendly and open to talking and sharing with each other, a far cry from sitting across someone’s office desk.

Lastly if you need some immediate cash many of the retail chains are still hiring part time help for their busy holiday season, even in these uncertain economic times.

A lot of job seekers indicate references are available upon request on their resume. A good employer will often time check references before hiring you. Some people moan about the thought of someone calling an ex-coworker or a previous employer. These are reasons to always have good work ethic in both the entrance stage of a job as well as your exit.

When choosing a good reference, one name that should always be at the top of your list is a former executive or manager. When it comes to references, title and position can make a good impression. Consider asking one of the directors in your former job for a reference. If your work was exceptional, most executives will allow you to use them as a reference.

Friends and family are normally frowned upon for references, but everyone has that one friend from their former job who will give them a good reference. My team lead software designer hasn’t been in the business for ages, but she’s always willing to give me a good reference for a future job. Just a simple email or phone call is all she has to endure every couple of years when I’m in the interviewing phase.

Finally, make sure to keep in contact with former co-workers. Perhaps it’s just the IT industry since we all go through hard times, but my former partners have been nothing but supportive in all my career phases. We all have a small clique that has our phone numbers published for any reference needed. Good co-worker friends are hard to find.

Whether you are out of work because of a lay off, just entering the work force fresh from graduation or looking to change your career, you will need to know where to look for a job. Part of being successful at finding the right job that will advance your career and compensate you appropriately is knowing where to look in the first place. Also, making sure you diversify will allow you to maximize your potential chances of finding job leads that will be lucrative for you. Before embarking on your job search, make sure you know what your goals are in order to target the particular companies that will allow you to attain them.

• Local newspapers and periodicals – Everyone has gone through the process of searching through the local classified advertisements in order to find jobs. Even in today’s technological age, this is still a valid form of job searching. Most large employers, when looking for potential candidates to fill positions, will advertise in multiple areas and the local classifieds section is usually one of those. Search through the listings in your particular industry and gather the contact information for openings that are of interest to you so you can do further research and apply.

• Industry specific trade magazines – If your particular industry has specific trade magazines, often employers will advertise in those. The advantage to doing this is that it gives employers insight into how dedicated a potential candidate is to advancing their career within that field. Employees who care enough about their industry to subscribe to such magazines illustrate their desire to keep abreast of current market conditions and advancements within the industry. This can mean the difference between an employee who is good at their job and an employee who has innovative ideas to improve the overall company.

• Networking – It is always a good idea to keep contacts of people who may be able to assist you in the future. When in a job, keep information available on people who may have advancement opportunities down the road. In addition to those in a related field, make sure friends, family and peers are aware of your job search. You never know what contacts they may have and what leads they may be able to introduce you to. Often employers will put a candidate who was referred to the company into a higher priority than someone who just applied for a posted position. Also, if you have always wanted to work for a particular company, contact them directly to inquire about open positions. If possible, set up a meeting with HR. Even if they have no immediate openings, expressing your interest and putting your resume on file may prove valuable down the road.

• School employment resources – If you have recently graduated or if you are just about to graduate from college or a trade school, inquire about what placement assistance may be available. Most colleges and trade schools have a department that handles placement assistance for recent graduates. Likewise, many companies will post positions at the local schools to find entry level positions or internships. This is a great way for employers to gauge the potential of an employee to determine if that person should be groomed for advancement and if they would be a possible asset to the company in the long term.

• State agencies – All states have unemployment agencies for those who are out of work. Many people consider this to be a resource for those who have recently been laid off. However, this is not so. While that is certainly one function of the agency, they also have an available job bank that could prove valuable to someone who is out of work or looking to enter the work force.

• Online job searches – Nowadays most employers advertise their open positions online at some or many of the various job search sites available. This is a convenient way to gather candidates for review. If you have not registered at one of the top job search websites, it would be advisable to do so. It is completely free for those who are looking for a job to register and post their resume online. Candidates can search available jobs and enter search parameters to automatically send possible job matches based on the criteria you select directly to your inbox via email. Most places will also allow you to apply to the company directly online. Even once you find a job, you can continue to get updates just to see what may be available in your market.

Searching for a job can be a nerve wracking experience. It can be very stressful especially if you are unsure as to how long you will be looking. However, if you know where to look and use every available means to obtain potential employment, your odds of getting quality leads increase substantially. With a variety of leads, your potential for getting an offer also increases greatly.

It is very common for people to start networking after they have lost a job. That should not be the case; in fact networking is one of the most useful tools that is available to anyone looking for a job. Networking allows you to get in contact with different people in all types of industries.

Here are some helpful things that could help you out in your networking.

-What is your objective?

-Who will be at the event?

-How can others help you out?

-What types of questions will you ask others?

-Prepare a: 15 or: 30 second commercial.

-Ask yourself what can I bring to the table in this industry?

-How do you want those people to remember me?

-Don’t forget your business cards.

-You can not be afraid to network with others during an event.

-Find people you don’t know, and introduce yourself

-Make sure you follow up with your connections

“Personality can open doors but only character can keep them open” – Unknown

Special Thanks to Harvey A. Blender

Harvey Blender has put on numerous networking seminars and has received only positive feedback form his seminars.