I'm Louise Fletcher. As President of 
The holiday season comes in with a bang, marked by "Black Friday" and the sudden eruption of Christmas decorations, holiday music, Salvation Army kettles, and, in my house at least, the mad proliferation of catalogs. Already I'm starting to feel behind schedule, but I'm also looking forward with pleasure to the many social events the season brings. All of this causes me to put some work issues on the back burner - so many other exciting things to do and think about! And I'm guessing the same is true for those of you in a job search.
It's easy to lose momentum and coast through the final five or six weeks of the year. If you're tempted, consider these strategies to stay on track:
• Create a to-do list early in the week and devote the first part of each day to checking off a few items. With a focused and disciplined approach, you can keep moving forward without depriving yourself of fun.
• Each week, look for social events that can also be golden networking opportunities. Whether attending the neighborhood potluck, your spouse's holiday party, or a regularly scheduled networking event, the holiday cheeriness makes it easy to talk to people in a low-pressure environment.
• Be sure to prepare and practice your introduction ("elevator pitch") so that you are making the most of those golden networking opportunities. You will want to tailor what you say and how you say it to each specific audience - you wouldn't use the same approach at Aunt Nell's open house as you would the Chamber of Commerce CEO roundtable.
• Continue trying to connect with decision-makers during the holidays. Often the office environment is more relaxed as projects wind down toward year-end. Those who aren't taking vacation may have a bit more flexibility in their schedules and be more accessible to you.
Keep in mind that there is no evidence supporting the belief that hiring grinds to a halt in December. In fact, hiring is fairly steady year-round, but whether you find yourself newly employed or simply more advanced in your search, you won't regret maintaining an aggressive search during the holidays.
Posted by Louise Kursmark
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