Ultimately, the more people you know, the more likely you are to find the job you want.

It works like this. If I meet someone and get to know them, I consider them a contact. Once someone is a contact, I consider them part of my network. And the goal is to expand and maintain your network perpetually.

If this is too loose a concept, you can use the following test. If you can call up the person in question out of the blue, and they know who you are without having to be reminded, then you can consider them part of your network.

So why network? Ultimately this is the best way to find jobs and gain assistance in your job search.

Think of it this way, how many times have you heard about the “boss’ cousin’s friend” landing the job you wanted? This is the type of connection that you can put to work for you.

So the obvious question is, will my network find a job for me? The answer I want to give is “yes”, but even though this does happen, it doesn’t always work that way. What your contacts will likely be able to do is to make you aware of opportunities that they are know of. This will (hopefully) give you a leg up on the competition.

And the best part is that even contacts who can’t find you a job themselves, can help in other ways by providing advice and offering services (such as proof reading your resume).

So network as much as you can and make sure you maintain your network. It could make the difference between a landing a good job slowly, or a great job quickly.

Thoughts? Comments? Drop us a line!

Related posts:

1. What is networking?
2. Maintaining your network
3. The Three Best Ways To Contact Your Contacts
4. The Layers of Social Networking
5. How To Ruin Your Network