Networking

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I have been looking for a job and I am employed full time at a local lab in the city. I have had enough of it and the management. I have been steadily looking for work for two months now got a couple of interviews and have been doing up my CV.
A lot of jobs are being advertised on the net through job sites like seek.co.nz and you can now register with companies online to find jobs. In the last few years when I was job hunting I would look for retail and administration jobs through websites and the newspaper. Also there are recruitment agencies too.
The things is "networking" to find work is now the way to go. Since the recession and downturn in jobs I am finding it hard to find work and want to move on from my current job. I have been there 4 years but I don't know a lot of people in the city where I live and have joined a church and a Toastmasters club but have no idea on how to network. I rely on the newspaper and internet when it comes to looking for work yet I notice a lot of people get jobs through other people they know.
Is it necessary to network to find a job?

Networking certainly makes it easier.. It depends on the company though, my employer is reasonably fair, but every so often people mysteriously appear with the job having never been advertised. This often happens with work placements, that turn into something else.

My wife is brilliant at networking, although this helps her get interviews, it doesnt translate into an offer so well.

I'm no good at networking, even though I have plenty of opportunities. I have tried, but I just can't get the hang of it, I guess it is a social thing. If anything networking works against me.

Jason

Yes Lease, networking is a must, NT or not, to make it in this world.

Extremely hard to network, I make more enemy's than friends. Burn bridges and am very well remembered....

I figure my best bet is using the skills I have and others don't to get ahead. But yes, networking seems king nowadays.

(Thread moved from Autism discussion to Work and finding a job)

I can't network. I barely even leave the house and barely talk to people.

Out of the two jobs I ever had in my life I did get one through networking. I had a friend working somewhere and she told them about me and they must have been really hard up for a new worker because they hired me sight unseen and I didn't have to apply or do an interview.

It is quite good to know what people think of this topic I have been advised by my therapist that I need to network in an attempt to find work. But as an Aspie I find it very difficult to talk to people especially people I don't know. It is essentially easier for an NT to network over someone like myself as they understand the social side of things. I also have barely any friends that could find me work so I think I am screwed really but just have to keep plodding on with the job hunt.

I'm in a job where I get "networked" a lot. It's amazing how little it takes, actually. People seem to think that you have to have some magical ability to work a room or something. But really all it takes it a polite email or phone call asking a person for 10 minutes of their time, at a time that's convenient for them. Don't ask them for a job -- keep it to questions about what they do and how to get into their field. Follow up with a thank you email and ask if they can refer you to someone else who will also talk to you about what they do. Then talk to that person, and so on.

I actually just hired a guy who did this. He called several months ago after a connection of mine referred him to me. We talked about our profession (he is brand new to it and hadn't gotten a job yet), and he asked if he could send a resume for my file. When an opening came available, we called him for an interview. I was really surprised to find out later that he sees himself as a terrible networker.

There are always people who won't want to talk to you. But then there are people like me, who will talk to everyone who has the courage to contact me. Best of luck to you!

Yes but easier then done when it is easier for NTs than Aspies. It ain't a walk in the park.
I have now had 4 interviews and have been looking around for another job for nearly 6 months and have been doing it the traditional way and have just been applying for jobs in the paper and online. Have come across a couple of jobs through other people that they have told me about and have applied and nothing has happened from there but there are so many people looking for work where I live so that could be one disadvantage. I know that I am no good at networking and it is a mystery to me how other people get jobs. It's estimated nearly 80% of jobs are not advertised it is "who you know"
The job market is tough out there in the world today and where I live it is very competitive. But this networking business is foreign to me.

networking...the word doesn't exist in my dictionary
i am a walking talking zombie
people run back when it comes to assist me or recommend me
who would recommend a weirdo like me
i just search jobs on my own looking through newspaper,
calling up the companies 10 times a day
persuing relentlessly and begging them to hire me

Yes I do the same with searching for jobs on my own and it taking me longer than most to get a job so people just keep saying to me to keep looking.
It harder for us Aspies though when you don't have average social skills