CONTRARY to popular belief, the holiday months of November and December are an excellent time to develop and leverage new contacts for a job search.

Many companies are completing their budget planning for the next fiscal year, and executives have to fill openings early in the year or they may lose the budget for that position, said Ford R Myers, president of Career Potential, a Haverford, Pennsylvania-based career consulting firm.

“Many job seekers don’t realise how important it is to perform a search during these months so there is little to no competition,” he said.

Myers provided these tips to help job seekers during the holiday months:

1. Network: There are many social and community networking events in November and December, including charity fundraisers and holiday events. Most professional associations have a party for their December meetings, with a different spirit than the more formal presentations offered throughout the rest of the year.

“Do not bring a resumé to these events,” Myers said.

Rather, create a simple, tasteful business card with your name, phone number and e-mail address to give to people. A business card will leave a better impression than a resumé at these events, which are more social in nature at this time of year.

2. Volunteer: There are many volunteer opportunities around the holidays. This is a good way to help other people, feel good when you need a boost, have a renewed sense of purpose during your search and meet other professionals.

3. Call people: “I have a colleague who was starting a business who used the day after Thanksgiving to make both follow-up calls and cold calls,” Myers said. “She found that whoever was at work that day was not only available for a conversation, but was grateful to speak to someone.”

Even if many people are away for the holidays, those who are at work may have more time to speak with you.

Send holiday cards: This is the time to send cards to everyone on your list, including search firms, human resources people and hiring managers with whom you have met over the past year. Don’t let these people forget you!

“There really couldn’t be a better time than November or December for a job search. Those in the position to hire are out of their normal environment and more willing to talk about work in a more relaxed setting,” said Myers.

Myers offers these tips for holiday cards:

. Pick a seasonal, nondenominational theme. A snowy winter scene works well with people of all religions.

. Put a return address on the card so that the person can reach you.

. Don’t write about your job search in the card.

. If you haven’t been in touch with the person for a while, write a short note stating something like, “Let’s get together over the holidays or in the New Year. Here’s my number.”

. Mail the cards early in December, by the end of the first week. This is useful because there are a number of holidays that fall at different times of the month and your card will be among the first to arrive.

. Your card should be received early enough for people to remember to invite you to holiday get-togethers, and to send you a card in return.