Networking Events on July 4th

Tomorrow, people all across America will be celebrating Independence Day.  Our forefathers fought for our freedom all those years ago and as a result, we get to eat burgers, drink beer, and watch fireworks every July 4th. Freedom's a wonderful thing, right?

Unfortunately, many Americans are not free this year. There's no oppressive foreign power trying to impose their will on us, but there are still too many people held back by unemployment. It's been nearly three years since the official end of the Great Recession, but Americans are still dealing with its aftermath. Things are better than they were in 2009, but we still have a long way to go. 

It would be very easy to just halt your job search this holiday weekend. And when it comes to applying to jobs, I would recommend that. Since the majority of organizations are off, you aren't going to be finding many new positions. That doesn't mean you can't do anything to move yourself closer to unemployment independence. It may not seem like it, but there really is no better time to network. Think about it: Presumably you will be attending a July 4th party, which will  give you the opportunity to connect (or re-connect) with a bunch of people. Make it a goal to make some new career contacts by the time the party is over. You will probably have some idea of who these people are, which can make it a lot more relaxing than a normal networking event.

It's highly unlikely you will walk out of an Independence Day party with a job interview lined up. That's hardly a guarantee. What is a guarantee, however, is that you will move one step closer to ridding yourself of unemployment if you do some serious networking. And on a day when America is celebrating freedom from tyranny, you can be closer to that freedom as well.