News flash: 63% of people hired in the last year found their job through contacts. In a CEO survey we conducted in 2002, 90% of top executives said networking was important to their career rise and 68% listed networking as very important. No one said it didn't matter.

You must learn to network if you want your career to prosper. Ed, an aerospace engineer, had built up no network. When the layoff hit Boeing, he had a difficult time. He told me, "I guess I really was remiss about developing a network. It didn't seem important. I wish I'd done it, because now I don't know how to start."

He tried a few colleagues, neighbors and friends. I suggested he contact his college's alumni office to see if they had a network in place that might help him. They did. A few alums offered to pass on his resume, which led to a terrific new job with Motorola.

Rachel, on the other hand, was a "Networking Queen." An executive director for a Northwest association, she generously helped everyone who knocked on her door. She also made professional friends and contacts. Twice she's been approached by colleagues asking her to apply for a position, when she wasn't even looking for a new job! Both times, she landed the job. Rachel's ongoing networking kept her visible - she was someone people thought of when they needed to hire a person in her capacity.

Networking is not as difficult as you may think -- use these tips to develop your network:

• Start your contact list by listing everyone you DO know. Colleagues, former employees, school friends, former bosses, friends, neighbors, family, association executives - anyone you can think of. Never underestimate where a great connection might come from. One client said she got an interview with the President of ABC News because her mother and the president's mother spend their winters together in the same Florida condominium complex. A retired 65-year-old grandma seems like an unlikely source for meeting top-notch business contacts - but this time she was! Remember, everyone knows someone, and it just may be that someone who can be of the most help to you.
• Be savvy and prepared. A common mistake is to frantically call EVERYONE you've ever met and say "I'm looking for a job - do you know of one?" Huge error! When you're not prepared you often don't articulate the specific job title or kind of company you want to work for. Don't waste the networking opportunity until you are prepared. Have a current resume ready that highlights your skills, past successes and abilities. Know what to ask, and have a 30-second history ready to explain the level of responsibility and duties you are qualified to perform. Ask if they know of anyone who works at the list of companies you're interested in. Look for any "inside scoop" a contact can give you on companies you're looking at. And ask for referrals - people they know that you should contact or other companies you should investigate.
• Always send a hand-written thank you note. E-mails don't count! Handwritten notes are becoming a lost art, so sending this kind of personal communication leaves your contact with a very positive image of you.