Published December 8, 2009  Submitted by: Hollee

In today's job market, networking has never been more important, but just what is it?  When one markets his own abilities, skills, capabilities and personality to others, he is networking.  With the current highly competitive job market, one's ability to network can reap immense benefits.  This can take place through many different avenues, however online networking can open up multiple opportunities for the job-seeking individual.

Through well-developed networking skills, one is able to present his positive attributes, highlight competencies and articulate one's thoughts and ideas.  One can begin networking by becoming a member of professional organizations or societies and utilizing the message boards and resources.  One can join online social networking sites geared toward business, such as LinkedIn and Facebook.  This will help one  know about job openings and career shifts, as well as increase the number of contacts that one has to network with.  

For more information on how to be successful with online networking, check out the following books at the Library - Seven Days to Online Networking: Make Connections to Advance Your Career and Business Quickly by Ellen Sautter and Diane Crompton or Job-hunting Online: a Guide to Job Listings, Message Boards, Research Sites, the UnderWeb, Counseling, Networking, Self-Assessment Tools, Niche Sites by Mark Emery Bolles & Richard Nelson Bolles. 

In addition, take a look at the following website - http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/networking/a/networking.htm