 Most jobs are found through networking, not online or in newspapers. Yet, it is so much easier to stay home, browse the Web for openings and apply to those
openings. Why is it so much more comforting? Because job openings are concrete and are offered to us. All we have to do is apply to them.
True, but those same openings are also made known to the multitude of other job seekers out there. Hence, oftentimes, jobs found online or through
newspaper listings are much more competitive. The other reason why people are reticent to network is because they don't feel so well. That's
understandable. They don't have a job or just lost their job, so they feel demotivated.
All these reasons may explain why a person does not want to network, but they just add to the problem as opposed to solving it. If you find yourself in a bad
situation, the worst thing that you can do is to stay still. Unless you move or do something, your situation may not improve... unless you are
lucky. Are you willing to rest your career on luck?
What is suggested is not that you go out to network the day after you got laid off. To the contrary,
take time to rest and recoup. When you are ready, however, you should contact people you know,
attend events and participate in meetings. This is what networking is about. It's about
meeting other people and helping each other out. It's about building relationships, asking for help
or advice and also landing a hand to others.
The trick is to have the courage and the motivation to go out there and network. For many, the idea
of attending networking events or calling distant acquaintances is dreadful. Yet, your willingness to network is often an indication of how
much you want to find a job. Staying home and hoping that someone will call you to offer you a job is not realistic. If you really want to work, you
will do what is necessary, and that includes networking.
WorkBloom's Networking Center offers tips on how to network. However, the best way to find out what
works for you is for you to go out and figure it out for yourself. On that note, good luck! | 
May
19, 2013 -- Loads of people network during their job search, but very few are effective at such networking. Certainly, some are better at it than others, but in general, the majority of people not only dislike networking but also are simply not good at it. Based on a survey they conducted, Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D., and Don Morgan discovered several keys for successful job search networking.
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