If you cringe at the recommendation to network your way to your next job, you’re probably thinking of:
— Pushy, intrusive, or desperate people;
— Contacting former colleagues or classmates out of the blue;
— Making awkward small talk at large gatherings; or
— Engaging in other equally unpleasant, unnatural activities.

Forget trying to psych yourself up to approach other people in your time of need; setting aside your dignity; and abandoning respect for others. Eliminate these activities–and even the “networking” word–from your vocabulary!