Networking is something people only think about when they start working. What they don't realize is that they have been networking all their lives. Networking is not merely limited to meeting new people at work and expanding your network base; the moment you start making friends, you have started "networking."
Granted your network before working and while you work are different in size. As you grow up, you find and meet more and more people, the bigger your network will be. You will only stop networking if you die or you decide to drop off the face of the earth. Every day you are networking; meeting your girlfriend's friends, new co-workers, or even your kid's teacher, the more people you meet, the larger and faster your network expands.
So how does one network? There is not a formal way of doing these things, you basically just go out there, meet new people and socialize. Before you actually start networking; realize that the network you have right now is not really that big but it will expand as time goes on. First, list down as many people as you know and how you are connected to them and also list down their current profession. For example you know Person X through your girlfriend's mom and Person X works for an IT company you are interested in joining. Maybe you can use that network to get the job you want. Make an effort to talk to people of interest about your career goals; maybe they can help you reach whatever it is you are aiming for. Also remember not to leave college without getting to know as many people as you can and contact details about them. You never know when you might need it.
Another way to network is by reconnecting with people from your past, those whom you've lost contact with or those you want to build a solid connection to. This can be easy as asking your friend to have coffee with you or looking for a past friend through social networking websites such as Facebook, Myspace and Friendster. Send them a personal note stating how you want to keep in touch with them and ask them for their most recent contact details. Don't forget to include your own contact details in the message. Also remember that it is not just about keeping in touch, it is about building relationships with people. Merely keeping in touch with people is useless if these people do not want to stay in touch with you. You always have to make sure that you stay in their good graces and that you nurture good relations with them. This will pay off in the future; who knows when you may need to get a good job? This will be faster if you are in good standing with your college professor; it would be easier for you to acquire a good recommendation letter.
When networking, remember to have fun. Go to parties, attend functions and the like. Nobody said networking was boring.
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