ONLINE RESOURCES

Mashable.com's Networking page - http://mashable.com/2010/07/02/professional-social-networking

Quintessential Careers - www.quintcareers.com/networking.html

The Ladders' Networking Section - www.theladders.com/career-advice/networking

BusinessNetworkingAdvice.com's NetworkingSection - http://businessnetworkingadvice.com/resources/networking-resources.htm
• Links to networking resources as well as interview transcripts with professionals skilled in networking.

NETWORKING GROUPS

BizLaunch - www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bizlaunch
• Operated by Arlington County for small businesses.
• Offers information, counseling, research, education, and networking

DC Web Women - www.dcwebwomen.org
• Limited to DC area

WomenNetwork - www.ewomennetwork.com
• National groups of female business owners and professionals

Execunet - www.execunet.com
• Offers networking groups all over the country.
• Free newsletter with good job search advice.
• Job board.

The Falls Church Episcopal Church - www.jobsministry.org/default.htm
• A jobs ministry that is open to all for job search courses and meetings
• Limited to DC area
• Also have good resources online (including links to many area employers),.

McCarthy & Company - www.careertran.com
• An Arlington firm that deals in career transition.
• Offers "Executive Network Group" meetings for networking, learning, and circulating your resume. (Charge per meeting.)

Society for International Development - www.sidw.org

Washington Network Group - www.washingtonnetworkgroup.com

Women In International Security - http://wiis.georgetown.edu

World Affairs Council - www.worldaffairsdc.org
• This is the address of the DC branch, but there are branches of the organization throughout the U.S.

Business Journal - www.bizjournals.com
• Choose your city.
• Under "Events", see "Business Events" for local networking opportunities.
• On this site you will find a list of business events, including networking events. This is an especially rich source for the Washington DC market.

ListServ Directories
• Topica - http://lists.topica.com/
• Google Groups - http://groups.google.com

LinkedIn.com - www.linkedin.com
• An online networking resource for professionals.

Meetup.com - www.Meetup.com
• Search for local groups that match your personal interests. Many professional groups and interests represented.

Facebook - www.Facebook.com
• An online networking resource targeted at students (more social than professional).

Bebo - www.Bebo.com
• A social networking site used predominantly by Europeans.

VIDEOS

"Introduction to Social Networking"
Howcast.com - www.howcast.com/videos/210741-Introduction-To-Social-Networking
• Unfortunately only the introduction is available for free, but it is a great basic look at social networking.

"How to Use Facebook" Series
eHow.com - www.ehow.com/videos-on_108_use-facebook.html

"How to Use LinkedIn" Series
eHow.com - www.ehow.com/how-to-use-linkedin/

"How to Use Twitter" Series
eHow.com - www.ehow.com/use-twitter/

If you are still wondering about how to use a certain aspect or facet of a particular social networking site (like creating a private group on Facebook for example), searching www.Youtube.com or www.Google.com can often lead to your answer.

• Most good "How To" articles or videos will also show you screen shots or clips of the steps involved, which is extremely helpful, especially if you are new to social networking.
• If the first link you find doesn't answer your question try other links. If these still don't answer your question, try to re-phrase your question trying to use the most technical and site-specific terms possible.
  • E.g. "Ways to take off name in picture on Facebook" won't work as well as "Ways to de-tag yourself on Facebook"
  • OR, if you do not know site specific terms, you could first attempt to search for those terms, and then search for an answer to your question.

ARTICLES

Dubois, Lou
"How to Network Effectively"
INC.com website
www.inc.com/guides/2010/08/how-to-network-effectively.html

Epstein, Boris
"How to Use Facebook for Professional Networking"
Mashable.com
http://mashable.com/2009/08/14/facebook-networking/

Hansen, Randall S.
"Using Key Marketing Tools to Position Yourself on the Job Market"
Quintessential Careers website
www.quintcareers.com/jobseeker_marketing_tools.html

Levinson, Meredith
"How to Network: 12 Tips for Shy People"
CIO.com
www.cio.com/article/164300/How_to_Network_12_Tips_for_Shy_People?page=2&taxonomyId=3127

Male, Bianca
"How to Network Like a Pro"
Business Insider website
www.businessinsider.com/how-to-network-like-a-pro-2010-4

Peters, Tom
"The Brand Called You"
Fast Company magazine
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html

BOOKS

Agin, Frank & Howes, Lewis
LinkedWorking: Generating Success on LinkedIn the World's Largest Professional Networking Site
Four Eighteen Enterprises, 2009

Alba, Jason & Scoble, Robert & Stay, Jesse
I'm on Facebook, Now What?: How to Get Personal, Business and Professional Value From Facebook
Happy About, 2008

Alexander, David & Hilliard, Brian & Misner Ivan
Networking Like a Pro: Turning Contacts Into Connections
Entrepreneur Press, 2011

Benjamin, Susan
Perfect Phrases for Professional Networking: Hundreds of Ready-to-Use Phrases for Meeting and Keeping Helpful Contacts – Everywhere You Go
McGraw-Hill, 2009

Byrne, Coleen & Greene, Brenda
The Web 2.0 Jobfinder: Winning Social Media Strategies to Get the Job You Want From Fortune 500 Pros
Career Press, 2011

Devora, Zack
Networking for People Who Hate Networking: A Field Guide for Introverts, the Overwhelmed, and the Underconnected
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2010

Hartley, Darin
10 Steps to Successful Social Networking for Business (ASTD 10 Steps Series)
American Society for Training & Development, 2010

Morris, Tee
All a Twitter: A Personal and Professional Guide to Networking With Twitter
Que, 2009

Pierson, Orville
Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and Get a Great Job
Career Pres, 2009

Schaffer, Neil
Windmill Networking: Understanding, Leveraging & Maximizing LinkedIn: An Unofficial, Step-by-Step Guide to Creating & Implementing Your LinkedIn Brand - Social Networking in a Web 2.0 World
BookSurge Publishing, 2009

Serdula, Donna
LinkedIn Makeover: Professional Secrets to a POWERFUL LinkedIn Profile
Donna Serdula, 2011

Sweeney, Joe & Yorkey, Mike
Networking is a Contact Sport: How Staying Connecting and Serving Others will help You Grow Your Business, Expand Your Influence – or Even Land Your Next Job
BenBella Books, 2010

The above links are for informational purposes only and in no way constitute an endorsement, expressed or implied, by the Department of State. Links to websites outside the U.S. federal government or the use of trade, firm, or corporation names are for the convenience of the user and do not constitute an official endorsement or approval of any private sector website, product, service, or privacy policy.