Prepare for a Competitive Seasonal Job Market

So far, Oklahoma has weathered some of the national downturn, including in the area of unemployment, but economic conditions will still have a major impact on those searching for a job this holiday season. It would not be a surprise for many companies to cut back on additional hiring over the next couple of months. That means a great deal more competition for those seasonal positions, so it's incredibly important to go into that holiday job hunt prepared.

Kay Stout, a career planning expert in Oklahoma City with over 20 years of experience, blogs frequently about job searching. She was kind enough to share with me a few holiday job hunting and networking tips that could give you an edge in that crowded market.

• Have a professional business card with pertinent career information such as Name, Expertise (For example: Professional Sales Representative, Electrical Engineer, I T Manager), Cell phone number and Personal email address. Carry these with you at all times.
• Attend all holiday parties to which you are invited. Join in the Ho Ho Ho - - not the Bah Humbug.
• Have your 15 second and 30 second commercials ready. Have someone listen to you and be sure you articulate a verbal video that paints a visual picture of who you are and the skills/experience you bring to the marketplace.
• Regularly check sites such as jobsok.com, craigslist.com and simplyhired.com.
• Join Oklahoma Networking Group at LinkedIn, plus at least 2 or 3 other groups of interest and build your network.

_{Photo © Adam Knapp}