So you’ve probably gotten the message by now that job searchers are best served by networking. Advice like this has sent most of us job-seekers to LinkedIn, Facebook and probably a few in-person gatherings. A recent NY Times article spends a little bit of time talking about ad-hoc networking meetings, which are also an interesting twist.
I wonder if this advice isn’t a little shallow. I mean, if this were dating, ad-hoc networking meetings would be the equivalent of going to the same neighborhood pub every day hoping a new potential mate is going to show up…sobriety optional. I suggest networking in a direction. We mostly don’t have control over how fast our job search will go, but we can control the direction it goes in.
What I am advocating is using a complete inventory of what interests you, skills you have, lifelong passions and experience to guide you toward a set of industries you would like to work in. Then find networking groups for your target industries, or groups frequented by folks in your target industries. Use services like meetup.com to find or start the group you desire.
Use these local, focused networking groups to find out about companies, work and job opportunities. Contribute to the group by bringing presentations on your area of expertise, share stories and help people penetrate the areas you’ve experienced. Share your contacts. You’re not vouching for a person by sharing contacts, you’re just getting them closer to the information they need.
This kind of good karma is a great way to be remembered and have your name get around. It will make such a networking group a lot more social than “social networking”. It is fun to network online, and you don’t even need to get dressed and go somewhere. But if you’re going to get a job, getting out is a good thing. It’s lot better than scraping your next job opportunity off the floor at the local pub every Tuesday 
