You may have heard this before, but it requires repeating…the reality is most jobs are not advertised. So to find those job opportunities, you must make connections with others and network.

Networking is not a new concept. However, for some it is easy and for others you’d rather walk down gould street on hot coals while being chased by racoons. Either way, you cant get away from it – it is important to practice and engage in it as a job seeker and throughout your career as a professional. I don’t think of myself as particularly strong in this area, as there’s always room to grow, so for this month I decided to choose a book that I think many other students and professionals would admit (if pressed) is an area that could use improvement.

In Networking for People Who Hate Networking, the author Devora Zack gives some helpful tips and advice on embracing the concept of networking, especially if you feel overwhelmed when you attempt it or just can’t stand doing it. I really liked this book because Devora recognizes that networking doesn’t come naturally to everyone, no matter if you’re an introvert or extravert. Devora smashes assumptions and stereotypes of being an introvert or extrovert, gives examples of how our characteristics / strengths can be used to our advantage to excel and enjoy networking, and gives examples and exercises to help you get prepared for attending or planning the next networking event.

Below is a video featuring the author explaining why she wrote the book and a little preview.

If you are one to feel drained or overwhelmed by networking, or feel that you are just plain bad at it, you will definitely enjoy this book. I especially liked the chapter on networking event survival. If you are looking for new ideas for your job search and relationship building, you will also enjoy this book.

You can find ‘Networking for People Who Hate Networking’ in the section ‘Job Search Tools & Techniques’ under ‘Networking’ (surprise, surprise!) in the Career Resource Centre in POD60 at Ryerson University. If that is being read, also check out ‘A Foot in the Door’ by Katharine Hansen.

How do you feel about networking? What do you wish you could get help on?