Networking During the Holidays: Why the "Dead Season" Is Actually Your Best Opportunity

Job seekers routinely write off the last six weeks of the year as a bad time to network. The logic seems sound because decision-makers are on vacation, hiring is frozen until January, and nobody wants a networking email during Thanksgiving week. Almost none of it holds up.

Is networking during the holidays worth it? Yes. The holidays aren't a dead season for your job search. They're a gap in the market. While most candidates go quiet from Thanksgiving through New Year's, the people who keep working their network show up in inboxes that are, for once, actually being read, and the connections they start in December can carry into the new year's hiring.

The Myth: "Nobody's Working, So Why Bother"

Executives and hiring managers do take some time off in December. Few of them, though, unplug entirely. Between family gatherings, most are still checking email and LinkedIn, and often with more time to actually read a thoughtful message than they'd have on a normal Tuesday in October, when their inbox is a wall of meeting requests and fire drills.

That shift matters because a message that would get buried in March has a better shot at getting noticed in December, simply because it isn't competing with fifty other things demanding the same person's attention that day.

Why Holiday Networking Works in Your Favor

You're not competing for attention.

Most job seekers believe the same myth you might have believed, which is that outreach over the holidays is pointless, so they stop. That's good news for you because less noise means your message stands out.

You likely have more time as well.

If you're employed, holiday PTO opens up hours you don't normally have for outreach. If you're between roles, the holidays give structure to what can otherwise be an anxious, unmoored stretch of time.

You get a head start.

Everyone waiting until "January 2nd" to restart their search is giving you weeks of no competition. By the time the job market floods with New Year's resolution job seekers in January, you've already had real contact and, hopefully, conversations.

It signals the right things about you.

A candidate who's still building relationships in December, rather than checking out for six weeks, reads as motivated and self-directed. That's exactly the impression you want to leave with someone who might later advocate for you internally.

Six Ways to Network During the Holidays

1. Reconnect with your existing network

The holidays are a natural, low-pressure excuse to reach back out to contacts you haven't talked to in months. Lead with something genuine instead of a pitch:

• "Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. It's been way too long since we last caught up. Would love to hear how things are going at [Company] and share what I've been up to."

Let the conversation happen before you ask for anything.

2. Build new connections on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is still the fastest way to reach people at companies you're targeting, and the holidays are a good window to use it. People tend to be more receptive during this season, and a few extra minutes of downtime between events is enough to send a handful of thoughtful connection requests. The hardest part is usually just clicking "connect" with someone you don't know yet. Push past that.

3. Turn new connections into conversations

Someone accepting your connection request is a small but real signal. They've chosen to let you into their network. Don't let it sit there. Follow up within a few days and ask for 15 minutes on the phone or a video call. Most people are far more willing to do this in December than they'll admit.

4. Show up to in-person events

The season, which starts in early November, is full of casual gatherings, like office parties, school programs, community festivals, and holiday markets, where you'll run into people you know and get introduced to people you don't. These low-stakes settings are often where the best leads start, buried in small talk you didn't expect to matter.

5. Work your family network

Extended family gatherings put you in a room with people whose professional networks you've probably never tapped. It can feel awkward to bring up your job search over dinner, but most relatives are glad to help if they know you're looking. A simple, low-key mention is usually all it takes to unlock an introduction you wouldn't have found otherwise.

6. Follow up before the calendar resets

The single biggest mistake job seekers make with holiday networking isn't failing to reach out. Instead, it's reaching out once and letting it go. Set yourself up with a simple system (a spreadsheet, a notes app, whatever works) to follow up with everyone you connected with before January 2nd rolls around, and the market gets loud again.

Don’t Skip Holiday Networking for Six Weeks

Skipping six weeks of networking because "nothing happens over the holidays" is a self-fulfilling prophecy, and it's exactly what your job search competition is doing. Use the quiet season to reconnect, build new relationships, and walk into January already ahead of everyone who waited for the calendar to reset.

Endeavor offers career coaching services for high-level professionals and recent college graduates, as well as executive career coaching for senior leaders. Whether you're networking this holiday season or planning your January search, we can help.

Holiday Networking FAQ