Chances are, without even meaning to, you're already networking. Networking is simply the fringe-benefit of your career coming up in conversation, ideally whenever and wherever possible. Letting people know what you're up to and what you want to be doing, is the most effective way to get your name heard by prospective employers.

Approximately 80% of jobs are never advertised. They're filled by people the employer knew, or had heard about through word-of-mouth. Some of these positions didn't even exist until the employer realised they needed that person, and their particular skill-set. This isn't nepotism. Employers simply feel better about hiring someone who's been referred to them or that they've heard of. As well as this, we all have an inherent desire to know who around us has what skills, and we want to be the one who can say, "Actually, I know someone who could help you with that..." It's a combination of these factors that makes networking such a critically important factor in the job market.

Each of us knows or is acquainted with around 260 people. Some quick maths highlights once again just how imperative it is to let people know what you're up to and what you want to be doing: If I were to speak about my career plans to just one in every five people I know, and those people then mention me to one-in-ten people they know, I'm suddenly being spoken about by 1,352 people. If I'm looking for a job, I'm going to feel pretty good knowing there's over 1300 people out there talking about me and my career!

Forget any labels you may have attached to networking as being 'aggressive careerism' or 'insipid self-promotion'. Remember, people want to know about you. "What do you do?" isn't just an ice-breaker. Whether we're telling friends, family or people we've just met, what we do says a lot about us, and it's a major part of how we interact socially.

Networking isn't about charging up to people and forcing your career aspirations on them. It should be a social exchange just like any other - we ask people about themselves and in turn offer our experiences, opinions and feedback. A good conversation leaves an impression on both parties and forms or strengthens a relationship. If you're honest about who you are and enthusiastic about your future, there's a good chance your name will come up in conversations later on.

Remember, get rid of any mental division you may have between 'Networking' and 'Socialising' - they're one and the same. By removing any sense of 'needing something' when talking to people, you free yourself up to enjoy socialising as an almost accidental networking process.