Jobs Found Through Networking

Do you remember those things called "rolodexes"? You know...the big bulky things that sit on your desk with someone's handwritten name and phone number bunched in with a million others? Well, those are a thing of the past. If you can manage all your networking through an old-school rolodex, you must be doing something wrong. Networking has become an art, and requires finesse and much attention. Done right, networking can be your most powerful asset when it comes to finding a job.

When you think about it, your network of business contacts are really a lifeline that you can use should you encounter an emergency (i.e. being laid off). With that in mind, you should think of your networking list as something that should be checked on every now and then to make sure it's functioning properly. You wouldn't leave the same fire extinguisher in your house and hope it will do the job in 25 years if a fire should start up, right? No, you'd check it on a regular recommended schedule. You should follow the same theory when it comes to your business acquaintances.

Nowadays, list maintenance can be a little more efficient to manage utilizing software like LinkedIn or Naymz. You can keep in contact by connecting through profiles, which it is up to the individual to perpetually update. What's the benefit in that? Well, previously, before these networks existed, you may have had your ex-boss' business email address. If he happened to leave that job, and you've stopped communicating, and you try to contact him five years down the road, you have nothing to go on except a bounced email from an address that no longer works. Now, if you're using software like those mentioned above, the person can update their contact information constantly, even if they move from job to job, and there is no extra effort for you to keep up with them.

This is not to say that you should just make sure you add each business contact to your professional online profile and leave them there to rot without any communication. It's important for people to feel that networking is a two-way street when it comes to you. If you add no value, what value is it to them to be your acquaintance? Ask a business associate to catch up over lunch, send Christmas cards, or even just say "Hi" over a quick 10-minute call every now and then. Massage your contact list.

If you keep up with your networking, you should never be in a completely hopeless situation. You would be amazed who people know. Your plumber may be connected to the CEO of that IT firm you've been trying to get to hire you. Don't just limit yourself to business associates. Next time you're standing in line at the grocery store, introduce yourself to the person behind you. You never know...they could be the next Bill Gates.

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