We may be in the information age, but people still make the working world go round. Want a job? Get out of the house and find a group -- family, friends, business associates or perfect strangers -- then reach out and talk to someone.
"Networking is crucial to your job search. Most work comes through knowing how to use that skill," said Connie Taylor, manager of the Georgia Department of Labor North Metro Career Center, which facilitates a networking group for job-seekers twice a month. The Labor Department provides speakers on various aspects of the job search and gives participants a chance to meet one another and exchange information about search progress and leads.
Sixty percent of the people surveyed by BH Careers International said that they got their jobs by networking. That's because 80 percent of the available jobs aren't posted in the classifieds or on jobs boards, according to the New York-based career management firm. People hear about them through word of mouth.
"Resumes are screening tools. Employers search through the stack looking for the best people to bring in for an interview," said Greg Pritchard, president of Point Associates Inc., a management consulting firm. "There may be 100 resumes for one job. But suppose someone called you in because they knew you or had heard of you through a colleague. You have a chance to sell yourself before he even sees your resume. Through networking, you can do an effective end-run around the resume process and better your chances of finding a job."
"Some people reject the idea of networking" because they're shy, embarrassed or too shellshocked to admit being unemployed, Pritchard said, "but that's a huge mistake."
He believes that networking is an art that people perfect through practice. One of the best ways to start is by visiting one of Atlanta's many free career-resource and networking groups, such as the nondenominational, faith-based Atlanta Seekers, which is run by volunteers such as Pritchard.
Atlanta Seekers, which gathers weekly at Fuddruckers on Perimeter Center Parkway, has been meeting since 1992 and has several offshoot groups. Open to anyone, the two-hour meeting includes inspirational and practical job-skills speakers, job leads, breakout sessions and networking.
Laimon W. Godel Jr., a CPA, attended the group years ago when he was looking for work.
"I found the program useful and got a lot of good advice, but when I found a job, I quit going," he said.
Years later, after losing a CFO position and transitioning to his own CPA firm, he went back and decided to give something back. He arranged his hours so that he could meet with the job-seekers every Friday morning.
Although his firm is now in Knoxville, Godel still supports the group through his Web site (www.godel.com), which is filled with job-seeking information, including an extensive calendar of networking groups and trade associations in Atlanta. There is a link to his Yahoo Internet networking group, which exchanges information about job leads among 2,700 members.
"I started the Internet group in October 2001, and it keeps growing," Godel said. "What I've tried to do with my Web site is publish links to the people who know their subject better than I do -- to present the best of the best -- so that people can find the group, jobs Web site [or] guide that fits their needs.
"Every once in a while I get a call from someone who just wanted to let me know that the Web site helped him get a job. I say, 'Great, then I'll keep doing it.' "
Atlanta has so many networking groups that one could network almost 24/7, but that wouldn't be productive, said Rick Sullivan, president of HR Star consulting firm.
Sullivan started St. Monica's Career Network in October 2001. The group meets about every three weeks in the Catholic Church of St. Monica's in Duluth, but it is open to all.
"We have helped 564 clients find new positions, and we don't even know who has come from the church or the community. We don't ask," he said.
In the past, St. Monica's helped clients through the use of volunteer advisers trained to help people with their job searches. The group hosted informational speakers and industry round-table discussions, and it sent client resumes to an "R List" of recruiters each month.
"I thought I was pretty smart in human resources, but through this group I've met so many speakers and advisers with more ideas than I ever imagined," Sullivan said.
Thanks to low unemployment rates and a healthy job market, the St. Monica's group has dropped from 300 participants during the recession to about 32.
"With fewer people, we're changing from an adviser/speaker model to a JAWS (jobs, accountability, work strategies) format of small groups that encourage, critique and assist with each other's job searches," Sullivan said.
Because groups function differently, he advises job-seekers to try several to find the right fit.
"Meeting with a group of other unemployed workers can be a support, but you don't want a group that just exchanges 'Ain't it awful?' stories," he said. You want to be learning new skills, gathering information and getting names of contacts who can help you find a job.
Pritchard advises people to start in their geographic locations, because it's impractical to drive across metro Atlanta when they're counting pennies. "You want a group that is friendly, has a structure or format that you like and offers good-quality content in terms of information and leads," he said.
Taylor advises job-seekers to come with business cards that list what they do, some job skills and contact information, as well copies of their resumes.
"You never know who will be there; someone may ask for it, or you may ask someone to critique it," she said. "Wear your name tag on your right side so that people read it when you shake hands."
The goal in networking is to move beyond family, friends, past acquaintances and other job-seekers to employed people who can assist in the job search. Trade organizations are a good place to start.
"If you're just passing out business cards and looking over the shoulder of the person you're meeting to see who's next, you're not networking; you're glad-handing," Sullivan said. "When someone says 'tell me about yourself,' you should have a two-minute spiel about where you've been, what you can do and where you want to go. Then you listen and get to know the person. Find commonalities; form a friendship. A friend will keep an eye out for you and call you when he hears of a lead."
Networking should be a give-and-take relationship, Pritchard said. "Give that person your full attention, and, if they seem interested, ask for a next meeting -- coffee or informational interview where you can get to know them better and ask for other contacts."
Experts say never to ask for a job. Instead, seek advice.
"If you're respectful, show that you value their input and ask for their help, most people are willing to give it," Pritchard said.
Be sure to thank them, and maintain ties with your network even after you find a job.