Don't eat alone

We are told in the business school on a daily basis to "network, network, network." Our professors hammer it into our heads all the time. And still, many don't listen. Well, it's time to listen up. Not for your career development. Not for intellectual stimulation. But for one thing: cash money, and a lot of it.\nAccording to an MIT Alumni Association Web site at alum.mit.edu/cs/ican/resources.html, an estimated 80 percent of available jobs are never posted.\nRead the last sentence again: 80 percent of available jobs are never posted to the public. Why is that? How do we find out about these jobs? Why can't we focus on the other 20 percent? \nThe reason that 80 percent of jobs are not posted is because most jobs are only available through networks of people. We are not talking about a society of obese Ivy Leaguers eating cheese and crackers. We are talking about talented and ambitious professionals who are leaders in their respective industries.\nFocus on the 80 percent, because they are the best opportunities. The 20 percent, the "posted" jobs, are mainly entry-level and corporate-dog jobs. Networking will not only help you land your first job; it can benefit you further. If you truly want to climb the corporate ladder, or create a ladder of your own, improving your networking skills is the single most effective way you can do this.\nThe concept that people don't seem to grasp is that employers benefit as much as potential employees from networking. Would you rather hire someone from the street, or Phil, who has known your cousin since middle school and has helped him with his taxes for 20 years? Networks, when used effectively, work better than any possible screening process.\nThe way we find out about these jobs is tricky. The problem is that most people network only when they are looking for employment. This is the amateur's strategy. The great networkers network on a regular basis. As Keith Ferrazzi, author of "Never Eat Alone," says: "Networks are like muscles. They get stronger the more you exercise them."\nThe question becomes: With whom do we network? My freshman year in the business school, I started to network with every single professional and speaker I came in contact with, regardless of what he or she did.\nThese relationships were relatively short-lived. I made a new rule: I promised myself that I would only network with people I truly liked. With a few minor exceptions, I have stayed true to this rule and it has benefited me greatly. The only worthwhile contacts are those whose company you enjoy. This doesn't mean that you have to become best friends. All this means is there needs to be a genuine connection between you and the individual. The best networks you will make are not with speakers and professors, but with your classmates.\nFerrazzi's book is a fantastic resource on this topic. In fact, I think it is one of the greatest business books ever written. Read it today and you can keep ignoring what your professors tell you. Until then, drop me a line.