James received a pink slip in mid-November from Teligent Inc., the struggling Herndon telecommunications firm. James, who had been director of order processing, aims to find a new position in sales or management by the end of the year.
"I'm not wasting any time, that's for sure," said James, a former executive at AT&T Corp. "I started looking the moment I found out I was unemployed. I think that's important."
James survived five waves of job cuts at Teligent by adapting to new demands, filling in for colleagues and learning how to process orders from clients herself. Now she is using those same traits to find new work. She spends her days talking with friends at Women in Technology International, a networking group, and attending sales and management seminars in the area.
"The whole thing about job hunting is, it's like sales," James said. "You have to contact 100 people to get 10 job leads to get five interviews to get one offer. . . . I don't think this is the time you can shoot from the hip. The jobs will go to the ones that are prepared."
Dozens of holiday parties scheduled during the next few weeks may be a perfect opportunity to hit up friends and professional acquaintances for leads about open jobs. After all, it's far easier to bypass the personnel department when there's a contact within a company that can advocate on your behalf. Employment experts suggest that job seekers take care to avoid cheesy touches, however.
What are some of the holiday don'ts?
"Not to buttonhole them and spend half an hour talking about your candidacy," Challenger said. "You don't want to do that. Just renew your acquaintance and do the calling after the party."
Recruiter Moynihan asked that candidates nix the holiday themes when they approach him.
"My bias is, I want to see people who aren't trying to be cute and send me singing reindeers," he said. "I want to see a concise résumé that focuses on quantifiable achievements. There's no substitute for substance."
R.D. Helt, director of the Bethesda office of Spherion Corp., a Fort Lauderdale-based job placement firm, said some candidates might want to realign their expectations. Think about accepting a temporary job that could lead to something more permanent down the line, and make sure your salary expectations are supported by research on the changing job market.
"If it comes down to having no income versus having some income, take the some income," Helt said.
On Tap
A couple of mixers are on tap for intrepid job seekers over the next several weeks. The Northern Virginia Regional Partnership and MetroTech is to co-host an Information Technology Talent Night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Holiday Inn in Tysons Corner. Visit www.nvrp.org for details and to register in advance.
Meanwhile, the next Washington area pink-slip party is scheduled for Jan. 29 at the eCiti Cafe at Tysons Corner. Host Marcus Ronaldi reports that October's event had far more red dots (candidates) than green dots (potential employers). Ronaldi said he soon will start "focusing on industries that are doing well in the current climate, including defense companies." To learn more about the upcoming pink-slip party, go to www.pinkslipevent.com.
Join Carrie Johnson and special guest Barbara Mitchell, co-owner of the Millennium Group International, a personnel consulting firm, at 11 a.m. at WashingtonJobs.com at www.washingtonpost.com to talk about job searching over the holidays. Send tips and gripes by e-mail to johnsonca@washpost.com.
