Networking is not for Novices.

It looks like the recession (and associated unemployment) is not recovering as soon as we all had hoped.  Involuntary unemployment is probably the second worst thing that can happen to a family.  Health problems being the first worst*).  Most households are financed by working couples. The loss of one job is a disaster.

There is a lot of bad advice going around on job-related sites urging people to learn how to network - as if that would help them get a job.  Generally speaking, I think this is bad advice.

First, networking is not a skill that you can learn, like rollerskating.
Networking is a way of life.  Some people are natural born shmoozers who love to get together with people - especially new people - to talk and listen.  Some people figure-out early in their career that being social and acquiring contacts is both enjoyable and rewarding.  The value of contacts becomes more evident for jobseekers in their 40s and 50's. 
The overwhelming majority of hiring managers who list jobs with headhunters or on job boards are looking for a particular skill-set rather than heavy experience.  The older worker has a competitive disadvantage for these advertised jobs.  Naturally, mature job seekers want to maintain, even raise,  their paygrade. They firmly believe that they are entitled to this rate (plus benefits)  because dammit they are more experienced.
But the hiring manager doesn't think he needs expert level skills and experience.  In fact, he is likely to be very price conscious. 

Experienced jobseekers in this economy who have not been networking for the past twenty years would be well advised to downsize their expectations, and be willing to let anyone who is interviewing them know that they will be the most reliable and trustworthy employee in the room, and they are more interested in the opportunity to work on this project than to match their previous salary, 

Networking is not something you can learn to do when you suddenly find yourself job-hunting.  There is nothing so annoying as someone who contacts you out-of-the-blue to suddenly wonder how you are doing - oh, and by-the-way,  do you happen to know of anyone who needs an experienced Gym Teacher?

Non-networkers will never find a job through their emergency contact file. They should not waste their time sending e-blasts to former acquaintences soliciting help.  Why should someone want to help someone who is obviously trying to use them?  Answer: only if they are also out of work and looking.  This is probably not so bad.  If you are one of those people who wishes they had been better at networking, a good place to start is with others who are also unemployed.  Job seekers often join "support" groups of other jobseekers.  This is fruitless when it comes to finding work, but it does provide some companionship and people of like minds.  Misery loves company.
Better to spend time honing the resume and learning to write a killer cover letter.








*Admit it you thought I was going to list the worst problem as "running out of beer."  Hah!