One of the things that people will tell you to do when you are looking for a job is to network. Actually they’ll tell you to go to conferences and network.

But what if you don’t have the money, time, super-powers, etc. to actually get to a conference. If you are a new or soon-to-be graduate with student loans looming and only a crust of stale bread in the fridge, you may not be able to afford even the relatively cheap local conferences.

So what’s a person in need of good contacts to do?!

You don’t actually have to climb out of your sweats and pull yourself out of the recliner to network. These days with all the social networking stuff out there, you can network from the bathtub (just be careful about the whole electricity and water thing…and please don’t share your location!)

Personally I love Twitter, as I’ve mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago. I’ve got loads of “friends” who have actually been helpful to me in making suggestions about articles, websites to check out, and the best place to get margaritas in Anaheim. (In fact, this post is being written because of a suggestion from a Twitter friend.) Some of these people I’ve actually met in person and some of them I may never meet. But I’ve got this large, valuable network of chatty people who help me do my job better.

Ning is one of those places where you can go in a create your network. Or join a network. I found one on there for college librarians. Although I’ve not done much with it yet, I know that there is some great potential to share things and get ideas from other people doing the same thing I am. We all face many of the same issues on a daily basis and it’s great to have a place where people will help you figure things out.

Of course there is MySpace and Facebook. I’m a Facebook addict (or was until I became a Twitter addict) and actually talk with people through there quite a bit. Some of it’s entirely fun, like when someone sends me a drink or throws a snowball at me. But I’ve also had the opportunity to provide an aspiring librarian with some info about job searches and what it’s like to work in an academic library.

You can also comment on blogs, join listservs, start your own blog…get your name out there. Like anything on the interwebs, I will caution you to be careful about what you say and how you say it. But don’t be afraid to ask questions, make comments, and generally make a mark. If you do it right, people will want to meet you and you’ll have something else to talk about at those nerve-wracking lunches during your interview day.