Remember the time when the whole point of going to school was so that you would become more knowledgeable so that you would be able to build up a set of skills that would make you more enticing to a prospective employer? Well, that is still true to some extent. However, now more than ever, it's not so much about “what you know” as it is “who you know”. This can be an extremely frustrating realization for many graduates who come away from college with a feeling akin to that of having wasted their time for several years and accrued massive debt to boot- all so that they may find out that they just needed to network with a few people.

The notion that landing a job or being successful in a job is based solely on who you know has a lot unfortunate truth to it, although some people may view this as a positive thing. For example, most jobs (while they require some education and in some instances proof of a four-year degree) are more than willing to “train the right person” for the job at hand. It's ironic in a lot of ways when you look at job postings by employers. Many jobs require that you have all of this experience, but to the person who may be looking for the perfect job to allow them their foot in door, it begins to seem impossible. After all, how are you supposed to gain experience in a particular job field if all of the job postings are for people who already have experience? How do you get the experience unless you work in the field?

One way to build up your networking abilities is to go about it the smart way. What do I mean? Work for free. That's right. Most employers will seldom turn away a job prospect who is willing to do the work and do it for free. This is why increasing numbers of college students are being encouraged to apply for internships in the fields that they are majoring in. The purpose of this is two-fold. First of all, it allows college students (or any other job prospect) to opportunity to gain real-life experience as well as the chance to see whether or not this is a field that he or she will want to continue in post college. It is much better than getting out of college, landing a job in your chosen field of study and then realizing a little too late that you absolutely hate what you do for a living.

Whether you're unemployed, employed but looking or are a college student, it would behoove you to keep your options open and consider networking with other people in the field. Obtaining an internship is one way to do this. However, there are other ways to meet and greet. For instance, there are always tons of things going on on the Internet with social media sites and social meetups. If you look up the town you live in, it is almost a guarantee that there is something going on with someone. Just take a look around and make an appearance. If you feel uncomfortable, then invite a friend to go along with you. You never know what sorts of connections you'll make and where it could lead you.