Most job search experts find networking to be the most successful way to secure a new position. Networking opportunities are everywhere. The next person you meet could be a future employer or could lead you to a new job opportunity.

Here are 9 tips you can use to improve your networking skills:

1. KNOW EXACTLY what it is that you want from others. Have a plan in place before you start your networking. Prepare questions in advance of a meeting. Be prepared, courteous, succinct, and appreciative.

2. HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE that manifests itself throughout your networking efforts. No one wants to help a glum person who has no self-confidence.

3. TALK TO STRANGERS. Despite what your Mother told you, it is OK to mingle with people you haven't been formally introduced to at meetings, concerts, sporting events, political rallies, and even on airplanes.

4. SHARE INFORMATION, ideas, resources, and contacts with others. “The more you give, the more thou shalt receive!” Networking is ideal treated as a two-way street.

5. DON'T ASK for too much at one time. Limit the amount of help or information you seek from any one person to avoid becoming a burden on that individual.

6. DON'T FORGET to follow-up on leads provided by the people you talk to. You can never predict where a tidbit of information might lead.

7. HONOR OTHERS' desire for confidentiality. Trust is a vital part of networking.

8. KEEP IT BRIEF and don't monopolize other people's time. It might even be necessary to make arrangements to call or meet at another time if you discover areas of vital interest.

9. CONTINUE YOUR EFFORTS to network even after you've secured a new position. Networking should become a part of your each day business life because there will always by ways an active network can help you achieve your goals. It is also a powerful tool for enriching your life and the lives of those in your network.

LTC Donald B. Skipper, USA (Ret.) has been associated with the military to civilian transition process as a senior consultant for 22 years and is currently the CEO of Career Beginnings, Inc. He's a Credentialed Career Master, Certified Employment Interview Consultant, and Certified Electronic Career Coach. Don is an active member of the Professional Resume Writing and Research Association, the Association of Job Search Trainers, and the Career Master's Institute. You might visit with him at http://www.nofeartransitions.us

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