One of the most effective job search methods is using what I like to call the “Outer-net”. The “Outer-net” to me is anything outside your comfort zone or your network that is a face-to-face environment where you look for work.<\/p>\n
The “Outer-net” can include stopping by a location that looks like a great place to work. It can also be the jobs you search for that you don’t know anyone at. These opportunities expose you to new faces, new places, and new spaces.<\/p>\n
While the “Inter-net” (which includes web-based searches and jobs within your network of peers and friends) is often effective, searching outside your realm can lead to opportunities you may never have considered before.<\/p>\n
An example of using the “Outer-net” was joining a new consulting alliance. I had moved to the area in the fall of 2009, and wanted to meet some new people. I sent my resume in to the Consulting Alliance, a group of professionals in the Capital Region of which I knew no one.<\/p>\n
A few months later, I became part of the alliance, and now have a new “Inter-net” of people to network with and share ideas.<\/p>\n