With many people looking for work right now, what’s the best way to find a new job?  Is it the classified section of the newspaper, career websites like Monster and CareerBuilder, or maybe working with a employment agency or “headhunter”? You’ve probably heard the old saying: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”  There’s a reason it’s a cliche, however, and that’s because there’s truth in it.  One of the best sources for information on new opportunities remains your network of family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances. 

Instead of passively waiting for their network to come to them however, the smart job seeker views their network as a gold mine of information and actively leverages their relationships.  Networking with your personal and professional contacts is a way to expand your reach.  For example, many companies actively seek employee referrals from their current staff (which also means that the best jobs never show up on a website).  By working to build and strengthen your network, you benefit from this influence.  Here are four ways to build the value of your network: 

Cultivate (all of) your Current Network

Too often when we start to look for a new opportunity we believe we have to meet new people.  While it’s always a good idea to expand your network, you don’t want to miss the value of your current network.  We already know hundreds of people, and those people also know hundreds of people.  So even before we meet someone new, there’s literally thousands of people already in our personal network.  One of the ways that technology can help cultivate your existing network is through social networking websites.  Websites like Facebook and LinkedIn are great at keeping you connected with the people you know, and they also help you connect with the people your network knows.  If you aren’t using these sites already, it’s worth spending some time to join them.

Even if you aren’t best friends with all of the people in your network, they can still be a valuable source of opportunities and information.  Malcolm Gladwell, in his book The Tipping Point, recounts a study done by Mark Granovetter on how people found new jobs.  Of those who found work through a personal contact, over 75% found it through an acquaintance – someone they saw only occasionally.  Pay close attention, then, to your acquaintances – people you know but don’t see all the time.  They tend to move in different circles than you, and are usually aware of different opportunities.

Ask for Help

Take the idea of the “self-made” man or woman that you might have and throw it right out the window.  These days we need help to be successful, and that’s totally OK.  For others to help us though, they need to know that we need help and what we’re looking for.

Share with your network that you are looking for a new position.   That doesn’t mean you should start every conversation lamenting the job market and begging your friends to help you out.  It does mean that you should be comfortable telling people that you are looking for work and would appreciate any connections they can help you with.  Remember, the people you know aren’t mind-readers, and you’ll kick yourself if you find out later that they had a connection that could have helped you.

When letting your network know about your job search, be as specific as possible.  Too often a vague request gets a vague response.  It’s not effective to only say you are looking for a position in finance; let people know that you are looking for an “accounts receivable position in a health care company in the Chicago area”.  The more clear you are about what you are looking for, the easier it is for the people to identify possibilities for you.  You’ll actually improve your chances of finding opportunities by narrowing your focus!   

Follow Up

Something that continues to amaze me is how little time people spend on following up on the connections and opportunities they have in front of them.  I once attended a networking event for college students who were looking for an internship.  Over 50 students talked to me over the evening about an internship I had available – but only one followed up with an email the next day.  Guess who got the position?

There are so many ways to communicate in our society, it’s a shame when someone doesn’t take the five minutes to follow up on a conversation.  Networking is inherently about building relationships with others, and just like any other relationships, your network needs time and energy to thrive.  Whether it’s a phone call, e-mail, or letter, doing a little follow-up is a great investment of your time.

When should you follow up?

• Whenever someone lets you know that they may have a referral or an opportunity for you.
• Anytime you receive someone’s business card, send them a quick e-mail to say “I’m glad we met.”
• When someone gives you a good piece of advice, or gives you a connection.
• After every job interview.

Start Now and Don’t Stop

It’s easy to put effort into your networking when you are looking for a job, but every good networker knows that you should always be building and strengthening your network.  Once you’ve found a position, and even when you’re not actively looking for one, you should still focus on connecting with others in your network.  Too often people wait until they need something to put the effort in, which is like a farmer planting a field and expecting crops the next day.  To really make networking an effective part of your job search, it should be a consistent and constant part of your routine.

Find the time to send some emails, give someone a phone call, or meet a friend of colleague for lunch.  If you are consistently working to build new connections and strengthen your current network, you’ll find that there are always opportunities available.