One of the best ways to launch your career is by talking to people and finding out more about careers and job openings through word of mouth. The Internet provides countless ways for you to "talk" with folks.

For the very latest in online career networking tools, go to: Tools for Networking on the Internet.

Check out Company of Friends, Fast Company magazine's global readers' network. More than 10,000 business people, thought leaders, and change agents have signed up in more than 100 urban areas around the world. Fast Company readers are self-organizing local discussion groups, mentoring and networking organizations, and creative problem-solving teams.

One of the best ways to network with professionals in your career field is through online discussion groups or Usenet groups. You can join an online discussion group in your field of interest and receive messages from group members via email.

Usenet requires special newsreader software, however, on the Web, you can easily read mail posted to Usenet groups and even interact with the groups through a search engine called groups.google.com. Use the Usenet Newsgroup Search for Usenet and other discussion groups in your career field by entering a keyword.

Topica is a database that you can search for online discussion groups in your career field by entering a keyword.

Another way to network is to join professional organizations and associations in your field. The Associations on the Net site lists organizations that have a Web presence, enabling you to explore groups you might want to join.

Ask the Employer is a career advancement site specializing in establishing networking e-mentoring partnerships based on matching criteria in the site's professional database. Also offers job-hunting tips and advice, a discussion board, and more. Free.

Alumni.NET offers links to high schools and colleges located around the U.S. and the world.

High School Alumni includes more than 28,000 high schools throughout the United States. Alumni of any American high school can visit this site and register, update information or search for an old classmate. This database can be used to locate a lost friend/acquaintance/business associate at a high school in another region of the country.

Alumni Connections hosts on-line communities that are tailor-made for networking. Click to see if your school is listed.

Planet Alumni is a Web site committed to establishing and maintaining contact among graduating students, former classmates and other alumni of high schools, universities, and Greek organizations. Free to users.

Chat rooms/discussion boards:

America Online is the best-known portal for chat rooms and instant messaging, but there are lots of other chat venues on the Internet. Monster.com, for example, offers a wide variety of interesting bulletin boards/chats that enable you to network on topics of interest to job seekers. Of special interest to established jobseekers and career changers are the boards listed under “Mid-Career.”

WetFeet.com, too, has a number of active discussion boards.

The best way to find out everything you need to know about chatting and even download the software you need for it is to go to CNET.com. CNET.com, which gives its top five recommendations for chat formats.

See also Quintessential Careers Networking Resources and Networking Your Way to a New Job, by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

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