Click here to subscribe to the Green Career Tip of the Week Podcast:

To listen to this Tip of the Week, click on the player below, or download the mp3.

Although you might be tempted to put your green career search on the back burner during the holidays, there is one aspect of your search that can actually be enhanced in the next few weeks: your green network.

What Makes Holiday Gatherings a Wonderful Opportunity to Network

Walking into a party during the holidays has a different energy than your typical business networking meeting. This fact provides several benefits.

• You'll meet more people than usual.
  
• People are generally in a good mood.
  
• The casual setting of a party encourages conversation.

How to Make the Most of Meeting People

Unless you are accustomed to networking, and an extrovert, the thought of going to a party to meet people may make your stomach turn. Use these points to give you a sense of how to interact with those you feel intrigued by.

Before you arrive at the party think about how you are going to answer the question, "What do you do?" Although it's hard enough to answer this question when you are fully employed or in your own business, it can feel like an absolute land mine if you are currently out of work. Take the time to craft an answer that focuses on what you know about what you want in your future career. At the very least, create a sentence or two about the green industry you are targeting in your job search. Giving people a clear statement about your interests will help them remember you when you contact them.

Pay attention to who you meet. Listen to people as they talk about their life, work, volunteer activities, and current events. Often you can pick up clues about what they do or what they value from their conversations. If you pick up on a key word, find a way to bring that topic back into the conversation or, if given an opportunity, start a one-on-one conversation to follow up on your hypothesis.

Take your business cards. Although you don't want to walk into a party handing your cards out right and left, you do want to have your card with you so that you can give one if asked.

If you meet someone interesting, don't hesitate to ask him/her for a business card. If they don't have a card with them, ask if you can contact them on LinkedIn, or have them write their name/email on the back of your card or on a sticky note.

Right after the holidays follow up with each person you connected with. Having a pile of business cards or a list of contact names doesn't do you or your job search a bit of good. You must follow up and make another connection, via LinkedIn at the very least, or via email or phone if you are ready to strike up a conversation immediately. On your LinkedIn invitation or your email/phone message, remind your new contact where and how you met them. Include something about your conversation so they will be able to recall the conversation.

A Few Tips to Help You Make a Good Impression

Assuming you don't know everyone in attendance at a party, there's a chance someone at the event is a potential employer, possible colleague, or a contact who knows the very people you want to meet. As a result it's to your advantage to pay attention to how you are portraying yourself during the party.

Don't just talk about yourself. Listening is the key to making strong connections. If you do all the talking they'll remember you as the jabber mouth.

If you ask insightful questions that spark a great conversation, your new contact will remember how good they felt talking with you and they'll want to reconnect.

Don't over emphasize the fact that you are unemployed or miserable in your work. Sure you can mention the fact as part of your conversation, but don't dwell on how bad your job search is going, how frustrated you are with your situation, or how anxious you are about being out of work. It's okay to share how you feel with a good friend who knows you, but it's not a good idea to bend the ear of people you've just met at a party.

Take the high road. Keep your head held high and put your best foot forward.

Don't focus on your confusion about your green job search. People attending a party really aren't interested in helping you work through your confusion about the focus of your green career. Don't force them into a position where they'll feel uncomfortable or pressured into helping you.

Keep your conversation focused on what you know about your direction. As you talk, your confidence and passion will be magnetic and draw people who share your interests.

Copyright © 2009 Transition Dynamics Enterprises, Inc.