3 Great Ways to Network Over the Holidays

By Michelle Wanjiku
Most professionals tend to take a break during the holidays, in terms of their career, that means that the closer we get to Christmas, the fewer people focus on improving their career.
For people looking for a job, they put the job hunt on pause until January while those not looking for a new job also stop focusing on their career growth.
It is true, you cannot do much for your career during this time especially since most organizations are preparing to break for the holidays as well, however, that doesn’t mean that you should completely stop focusing on your career.
There are things you can do to better your career that won’t necessarily prevent you from enjoying your holidays such as networking.
If anything this is the perfect time for you to focus on networking because you will get to meet a lot of people anyway so you might as well use that to your advantage.
Making connections during this period is easier because people are generally in a good mood and it doesn’t have to be very official which can help you get rid of the nerves.
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But how do you go about networking over the holidays?
Well, that depends on the event you are at.
1. The office party
Most organizations host office parties for their employees and everyone attends from the CEO to the intern.
This is in a bid to ensure that the people working in the company get to know each other and build solid relationships.
This means that this, not the time for you to sit and only interact with people you work closely with, this is an opportunity for you to talk to someone you normally wouldn’t get a chance to interact with.
Ensure you build connections with different people so that when someone from IT is looking for someone to partner up with on a project from your department they think of you.
Although you have to remember that you don’t have to talk about work throughout in fact it’s advisable to avoid this topic until you have formed some sort of connection with this person.
After all, it is an office party where you are expected to relax and have fun.
2. The Family Gathering
Christmas is a time for meeting family and you are probably going to attend one or more family functions.
So instead of spending time avoiding questions about your employment status, you should freely talk about your career.
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You never know, one of your relatives might know someone who could end up being of help. So don’t shy away from talking to people at these gatherings.
At the very least, you will end up connecting with your family which is always a good thing.
3. A friend’s party
This is the time when most people throw parties, and you might find yourself invited to a few of them.
Instead of spending that time only talking to people you know; go out of your way to speak to at least two strangers.
Start the conversation by asking how they know the host, and then steer it to what they do for a living. This will help you build a connection with new people who could be recruiters or work for a company you want to work for.
They might also be able to introduce you to other people who would make it easier for you to find a new job or help you grow your career.
In Conclusion,
Networking can be scary and this is why public speaking skills are very important when it comes to networking. You need to be able to walk up to complete strangers and try to form bonds with them.
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This task becomes very hard if you freeze up at the thought of introducing yourself to a stranger and having a meaningful conversation with them.
A good way to tackle your fear of speaking is by taking a practical public speaking class. Improve your communication skills and become better at networking by attending the training at Corporate Staffing Services.