Networking

Networking = a form of social interaction that gives an answer to the question: What’s in it for me?
Narrow purpose = to know people that can be useful for your actual job or can offer you leads for the next step in your career.
Larger purpose = to have a social life in a space and a time in which you seldom see your friends and family.
Of course, if the people you meet become your friends you will meet them hardly ever in the future.

It is common knowledge that the internet it is a virtual environment that replaces the previous places where you could meet people: a cafe, a movie, a conference, a museum, etc. But to comply with the minimum requirements to connect is necessary to exist in a virtual space. Existence is defined as a series of elements of identification.

The topic started in a discussion with a friend of mine that complained: I am a good professional. How come no recruitment agency finds me?
I am working in one, therefore my answer was: You see this wall? Yes. Why? You see it because is there. Where are you? Even a direct search strategy can hardly find you because you do not exist and your company takes measures so you stay invisible for the outsiders.

How about you make half way in the others direction? I am not talking about posting you CV on a recruitment website. I am talking about networking sites like LinkedIn and Xing. You are a professional therefore be present, exist, where other professional exists.

If you want to get married make yourself available.