Once you know some things about a person in your network, you'll naturally find reasons to get in touch with them. If you find out they're a Yankees fan, you might e-mail them after a spectacular Yankee game and ask them what they thought of it. Or if you find out they're into fitness, you might e-mail them an article you came across about exercise techniques. These little communications -- especially if they're thoughtful and/or helpful -- will keep you on person's radar screen and they'll be more likely to think about you and your situation when they're talking to other people they know.

If you're looking for a way to make staying in touch with your contacts easier, we recommend checking out RelationshipSecure software. RelationshipSecure provides a way to send out e-mails to people in your Outlook address book to verify their contact information. They get an opportunity to make any necessary corrections, and those changes automatically update your Outlook address book. Find out more by visiting www.RelationshipSecure.com.

It also might make sense for you to start working on expanding your network of contacts. Now that you've gotten a sense of basics of networking effectively with other people, why not apply those techniques to working with recruiters? The great thing about recruiters is they are in business of knowing people who can help you find a new position. Posting your resume on several job boards is one effective way of getting in front of a lot of recruiters. We recommend ResumeDirector.com service for this. Using ResumeDirector, you enter your resume once and then it's posted instantly on over 90 job sites like Monster, HotJobs, CareerBuilder, etc.

Another approach to getting in touch with recruiters is to e-mail your resume to them. ResumeArrow.com lets you select your geographic location and job category and send your resume to recruiters who are looking for people like you.

IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS

When meeting with a recruiter face-to-face, dress neatly and conservatively. Make eye contact with people when they speak to you. In past, women were to be treated differently in workplace. This changed when etiquette expert Leticia Baldridge published her rules on business etiquette, saying that women and men should be treated same way in work place. For example, a man and a woman should shake hands same way a man and a man or a woman and a woman would. When shaking hands, offer yours at 90 degree angle with floor and don't hold just fingers or crush other person's hand with your grip. Some men may wait for a woman to extend her hand, so women interacting with a male interviewer should offer their hand first.

In course of your interviews, you may be introduced to various people in an employer's organization. You should always stand up when being introduced to someone. Even if you are too far away to shake hands, it is considered proper etiquette to stand for introductions.

CONVERSATION ETIQUETTE

When you first meet an interviewer or other people in an employer's organization, they may want to start having a casual conversation with you. The goal of small talk is to find things in common and to create a bond. It's not that important to be witty - asking questions and being a good listener is fine. You can also be prepared to share a little about yourself such as sports/athletic activities you're interested in, pets, hobbies, as this can help other person feel more comfortable opening up about themselves.

Watch out: politics and religion can be dangerous topics, especially if not handled diplomatically. If interviewer brings them up, it's fine to make comments about subject being discussed but be careful not to make categorical statements or express a very strong point of view. Under no circumstances should sex or violence be discussed because they can be very upsetting and make you come across as someone with bad judgment. Likewise, never use profanity with a potential employer/recruiter, even if you're having a jovial conversation as people often perceive those who use profanity as being less intelligent.

Imagine communication qualities of a good leader: stick to your convictions as diplomatically as possible; address conflict in a situation-related rather than person-related way.