UPDATE I’m reading an advanced copy of “A Foot in the Door” by Katherine Hansen and she does a great job explaining how the job search has and has not changed.

There’s a whole chapter on where you should network for job leads and I love it because she mentions cocktail parties as one of the great networking “hot spots”. I LOVE PARTIES! Any reason to celebrate is fine with me, especially if it will enhance your career or land you a job.

One of the points she makes which I believe is key — “the best and most meaningful networking often takes place in venues that are earmarked for other purposes.”

Here are some of those venues she offers:

1. Professional organizations.
2. Volunteer organizations.
3. Charity and fundraising events.
4. Civic and community groups.
5. Religious community.

She describes these in detail in her book which is out this May, and offers another 45 networking channels you may not have thought of. Hello, the YMCAs! Great idea.

UPDATE:
I asked Hansen to offer some additional information for us when it comes to networking in a tough economy.
Here’s what she offered –

What I would say about networking in a tough economy is that it’s more important than ever. Study after study shows networking to be the most effective way to get a job. For example, in the just released CareerXroads 7th Annual Source of Hire Study By Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler both sets of figures I’m quoting from the report have implications for networking; people find out about internal transfer/promotion opportunities by networking. And they are referred for external openings through networking:

“Internal Transfers and Promotions constitute 30.0% of all the positions a company fills. 15 firms are at or approaching 50%….

Referrals(employee, alumni, vendor, etc.) make up 28.7% of all external hires and are arguably the number one external source.(Employee referrals make up between 80-90% of
the hires attributed to this category. Alumni and other types of referrals appear to be growing rapidly). The efficiency of referrals i.e. “every third referral turns into a hire” is one of the single most important characteristics of US hiring practicesŠ”

Another emerging practice with implications for the current economy is social media; however, it takes time to grow and benefit from an online
social network, so face-to-face methods are best in the short term. But see here for a discussion of social media.