Finding a job if you’re unemployed  or transitioning to a job which you actually enjoy and can see yourself doing for an extended period of time is difficult.  For anyone out there who has been in either position or currently is you know how much of a struggle it can be at times.  Each day that slips by without finding that job makes everything seem less likely and makes you more frustrated.  You are undoubtedly scouring job websites and applying to openings which appear to give you a likely shot.  Then you’re playing the waiting game and that is never fun or easy.

The most successful way to find a new job today appears to be networking.  Many people who are younger and employed will tell you that they found their job through networking.  The challenge for you is now, is to figure out who is in your network and how to expand it.  When you’re thinking about who is in your network, don’t just think of friends and coworkers.   Your network is everyone you interact with on a semi-regular basis, especially if you know each other by name.  This can mean people like your banker, mechanic and barber.  These are people who are regularly talking with others and who may be able to connect you with the right person for the job you’re seeking.

Depending on where someone lives and their background, it can be difficult to have a large network or to expand your network.  For example, in Saudi Arabia, women who are educated and career driven often struggle because of cultural bias against them in the workplace and a lack of networking available to them.  Due to these reasons, three women, Su-ad Yousif, Bodour Al Tamimi and Laila Al Hassan founded the group known as Qiyadiyat.  Qiyadiyat is Arabic for female leaders.

The group was created in February of 2014 and since then it has developed into a full-fledged platform with a wide reaching network that is constantly growing.  Qiyadiyat has regular sessions where women in high level careers come together to discuss challenges in the workplace and how to go about dealing with them.  They also have guest speakers such as Hussain al Nowais, Sheryl Sandberg and other high level business leaders who are able to speak with them about challenges they face and help expand their network.  Networks such as this are growing increasingly important for finding jobs and building relations, especially as companies look to spend less on the searching and hiring process.  A good recommendation can save a company a lot of time and money on searching for the right person.