Make Contact

Write down the kinds of people you want in your network: such as, their background, position, personality, leisure interests, and values. Remember, you want people who will help you reach your goals, the goals you wrote down earlier.

Make a list of the people you already know who you want to include in your network . . . and then a list of other possibilities. Click here for ideas of people to include. Consider how you will contact people you would like to include in your network, such as, in person, by phone, email, chat rooms, online discussion groups, or usenet news groups.

Learn about information interviewing . . . meeting face-to-face with a worker in an occupation that interests you. This powerful technique is primarily used for learning about occupations and searching for jobs. It is also an excellent way to build your network.

Keep your network to a manageable size. Start off small and work up to a size that works for you.