Networking is basically a fancy term for meeting people – learning about them and telling them a little about yourself. Every person you meet is a potential networking contact, regardless of age, profession or how you meet. This means there are endless opportunities to build your network and have new contacts potentially help you in your career.

A more casual approach to networking is just chatting with everyone you meet. Carry some simple business cards that list your name, e-mail, phone number and a few highlights of your professional background. Meet and pass these out to as many people as you can.

For a more structured approach, consider joining some networking groups. There are two different types of networking activities: Virtual and live. While you should really consider joining some virtual groups, the face time you get through “live” activities can be invaluable. Spend some time researching to find groups with members that you will be able to relate to and activities that fit where you are in your career.

Once you start meeting people and building your network, it will be helpful to remember the saying “one good turn deserves another.” If you can do anything to help someone in your network with their career or job search, they will be much more likely to go out of their way to help you. It can be something as simple as forwarding a few job leads or passing along a career-related article that you found useful. Who knows, if one of your network contacts finds a job before you, maybe they’ll put in a good word. Employers prefer to interview and hire candidates that come recommended by one of their employees.

To locate the networking groups that are right for you, try using online search engines like Google. You can find both virtual and live groups this way. Below, you will find some listings of networking groups, both virtual and live, but don’t limit yourself to these. (Note: Some membership/activity fees may apply.):

1. Local/Regional Networking Groups:

• Business Network Chicago – http://www.bnchicago.org
• Atlanta Women’s Networking – http://influentialwomanatlanta.org
• Houston Networking News – http://www.houstonnetworkingnews.com
• Sacramento Professional Network – http://www.sacpronet.com/

2. Specialized groups:

• Instructional Design – http://www.instructionaldesigncentral.com
• S. Florida Organizational Development Group: http://www.sflodn.org
• Minority Professionals – http://www.minorityprofessionalnetwork.com
• Health and Wellness Professionals – http://www.hwpn.org
• Human Resources – http://hrnetwork.ning.com/
• Criminal Justice – http://www.appa-net.org/ and http://www.asc41.com/

3. General Networking Groups

• www.linkedin.com
• www.facebook.com