Wish list: new job

Forget the myth that the holiday season is the time to put job hunting on ice.

Savvy job-seekers can use seasonal events to further their job search and position themselves to be employed in the new year.

Here are some seasonal tips from outplacement firms Dawson & Dawson Consultants Inc., Houston, and Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, Northbrook, Ill.

*Attend holiday parties - you can make excellent contacts that may otherwise take weeks to uncover.

*Don't hesitate to call potential employers during the slow days around Christmas. Managers may be catching up in their offices. And with many companies in the midst of budget planning, managers may have tips on positions opening soon.

*Search newspapers for company expansion plans. This is the time of year for spotting 2000 growth plans, plant expansions, new sales campaigns, new offices, and other indications companies may be in growth mode.

*Don't fall to the temptation to wait the holidays out simply surfing the Internet - job leads online are most productive when integrated with your networking.

*If all else fails, explain to friends that helping you find a good job is truly the holiday gift that keeps on giving.

(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society