Quick Tip: Network During Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Spread by CarbonNYC on Flickr
Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. Who doesn’t love gorging themselves on tryptophan-filled meat and fatty casseroles (actually, common misconception: tryptophan doesn’t cause drowsiness. Your body just burns so much energy trying to digest the disgusting amount of food and drink we consume that you feel tired after.)
But Thanksgiving isn’t just an excuse to eat and sleep a lot. It is an opportunity to use your built-in network (family) to your advantage. And you don’t even have to use any awkward icebreakers like you do at networking events, because you know that every single aunt and uncle is going to ask you, “So, how’s school/class/work/job/life going?” or the dreaded “What are you going to do when you graduate?”
Don’t throw away this opportunity! You might be tempted to respond with a simple “Good” or “I’m not sure” and wander your way back over to the gloriously delicious bowl of stuffing, but try to actually have a conversation. These people are resources to be tapped and bonus: they actually care about you.
So, here’s your checklist:
1. Before this Thanksgiving, think of your “pitch”. It should include what you have been doing and what you hope to be doing in the future. Here’s mine:I’ve recently been blogging about how to be successful in this new period of rapidly changing media. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to find an internship this summer in social media marketing either in DC or New York.
2. Strike up a conversation with a family member or friend that you see during the break.
3. Be conscious of what you are learning from these conversations. Do they have any insights or advice for you? Do they have any contacts that might help you in the future?
4. Follow-up after the break. If there were any contacts or places to look that were recommended to you, get on it! Don’t put this step off; it might lead to your next job interview.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
