By Lisa Iannucci, Senior Assistant, INALJ New Jersey
Resolve to Communicate in the New Year
As we all move on into a new year, we’ve all probably taken some time to reflect back on the year that just ended. For me, there were job and schedule changes that required some adjustment, and some daily tasks fell by the wayside in transition, especially during the busy holiday period. But as things have calmed down and I’ve more or less settled into a new daily routine, I’ve had some time to catch up on some tasks-things like updating my contacts list.
Staying on top of one’s contacts may seem pretty obvious, but it’s amazing how it can get away from you if you’re not careful-especially given than most of us have at least two or three email addresses, any number of social media contacts lists, and a boatload of usernames/passwords to keep track of when accessing all of this. So it goes without saying that it’s absolutely critical to keep these current-because it’s that one time when you need someone’s contact information in a hurry that you suddenly realize you don’t have it. But how to stay on top of it when you’re already too busy? Be strategically proactive.
Stay in touch with the occasional “thinking of you” email. Open up an avenue of communication with people you no longer see on a daily basis and then check in periodically. Here’s how:
Congratulate someone on a new job or life achievement. LinkedIn sends out this type of reminder for your network anyway; why not follow their suggestion once in a while and reach out to that old friend who just got a promotion?
Pass along an article of interest to a former coworker. You both like jazz – did you see that piece in the New York Times last week?
Acknowledge a win by someone’s favorite team. How about those [fill in the blank]?
Reference a run-in with a mutual acquaintance. You just bumped into Frank on the subway and it reminded you of that time the three of you worked on that project together.
Pass along a job tip. Hey, you volunteer here at INALJ and you see jobs all the time. How about forwarding them along to someone at your former workplace who you know is in the midst of a job search?
It’s important to stay in touch with the people you’ve left behind as you move on into your new position. Everyone gets excited about moving on to a new job, but you never know when or how your former co-workers may be of use to you in your new place of employment. Make sure they have your current contact information and you have theirs. And once you have it, be sure and request any letters of recommendation you think you may need from former supervisors. It will be easier for them to oblige you while you’re still fresh in their minds.
At the end of a long year, we take stock, take notes and then move forward. It’s important to do the same when moving on to a new job, too.