Making your contacts work for you

Make it clear what you are asking your contacts to help you to achieve, and how far you wish them to go. If you are in a rotten job, don't sound off in general, however tempting it may be. It is essential to have clearly defined objectives - decide what you want and then ask for it. If you wish to leave, say: 'I want to make my next move - do you know of anyone who is looking to recruit? You should also be approachable and accessible.

Treat networking as if you were in a lifelong interview. This may sound a daunting prospect, however, since just as you wouldn't go along to a job interview and confess all your darkest faults, it is necessary to keep up appearances with your network. You can let your hair down with friends, but it is important to maintain a professional image with your network. Remember networking is down to who you know and what they know about you.

More on networking.

More on surviving the job hunt.