December = My Networking Extravaganza
Today I am filled with nervous energy. The good kind of nervous energy. The kind that fuels fires and motivates. I wish I could bottle this energy and divvy it up for equal distribution every day. It’s officially December and while other job seekers are lying low and hiding out until the end of the holiday storm, I am riding the crest of the holiday wave. It kills me how many people have said to me “Oh the holidays aren’t a good time to be looking for a job.” OH YES THEY ARE!!! My Twitter feed is filled with career coaches and recruiters sharing articles stating how great this time of year is for the job seeker. I counted 7 networking events on my calendar for December. I am a living example of how a job seeker can utilize the holiday season. I had to toot my own horn for a minute, it is my blog after all 😉
December really isn’t any different to me as a job seeker. Like other months, I keep my calendar booked with a variety of networking activities, volunteering and social commitments. What I love about December? It’s so much easier to get people out of their offices for networking functions. I don’t know if it’s the lure of egg nog or if they are blinded by the sparkle of tinsel, but the level of social interaction for professionals definitely increases this time of year.
Shoot! Look at the time. I’ve got to go! Today’s networking opens tomorrow’s door!
Sit Back And Relax…Um, How Do You Do That?
Kitty V is one of my favorite Ladies of Leisure to spend time with, lucky for me we get to chat frequently. She always presents a different point of view that I often find myself pondering long after our lunch date ends. Yesterday she was bubbling over with excitement because she has two potential gigs in the pipeline. That is fantastic news and I’m even more excited because one gig is the result of a connection I helped her make! YAY networking, it does work! 😉
The beautiful thing about her gigs is that they came together organically. All of a sudden, two opportunities popped up and we both agree that in a perfect world that is the way it should be.
I am someone who is driven by my need to succeed. I always have my eye on the prize. Right now, it’s all about getting a job. This means I am constantly in a state of planning, scheduling, researching and networking. I joke that I have become so good at sniffing out leads, for myself and others, that I should get paid to do this (A-Ha moment? Maybe). Because I am so driven I hold myself to very high expectations and often forget to celebrate the cookie-crumb trail of mini-victories that sprinkle the path to success.
Kitty V suggested maybe I should take a breather from my work, work, work attitude towards finding a job. When she spoke those words I literally thought she was from a foreign planet. Me, just sit back and relax? Um. That sounds crazy! She recognizes that pounding the pavement is important and maybe I should let a few pieces fall in to place without throwing myself out there to catch them all the time? This is a foreign concept for me.
Wow! I wonder, can I do that?
Yes, but it’s going to take some serious effort on my part. It’s time for me to take a step back and re-evaluate my goals, create and delete a few and then tailor my action plan appropriately. I’ve already got one new goal in mind…recognize my hard work this week and take the weekend “off” to relax. I’ll let you know how it goes!
What are you doing to stay sane right now?
TwirtyGrrl 