You’ve heard it before: at least 80% of all the jobs are found through the “hidden” job market, also known as the “unpublished” job market. It stands to reason that if the vast majority of the jobs are to be found in this hidden market, that you should spend the majority of your job search time working to crack it. It requires that you use networking strategies. And, the thought of networking leaves many people feeling nervous and unsure. What is networking exactly? True networking is about building strategic relationships that involve a win-win, reciprocal exchange of information, support, and/or referrals.

No longer is networking just something you do every now and then when you are conducting a job search; building and strengthening your network is something that you should be working at all the time. But, if you find yourself facing an immediate job search, and your networking skills are rusty, don’t fret. Networking isn’t just about the quantity of contacts; it is about the quality. As mentioned above, your networking efforts should emphasize building quality relationships. Prepare, prepare, prepare for your networking meetings especially those that take the format of an informational interview. For some people, role playing is helpful. Attend job fairs to meet directly with hiring decision-makers. Job searching can be a time of anxiety and diminished self-confidence for many people, but don’t hide at home behind your computer.

Social networking sites like LinkedIn, MySpace, and FaceBook are increasingly popular ways to expand your network. Happy networking! Make networking a part of your daily routine and plan to spend the majority of your job search time on networking activities (approximately three-fourths of your time is a good estimate). The more you network, the faster your current job search will come to a successful conclusion and the faster and more successful any future job searches will be.