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Why You Should Network -- And How to Do it Well.

There's a reason that old saying, "It's not what you know, but who you know," has been around so long. That's not to discount the value in being good at what you do; savvy skills can get you far in life. But what good are they if nobody knows you exist?

"Regardless of your industry, we're all in the people business," says Marjorie Brody, co-author of You Can't Do It Alone: Building Relationships for Career Success. "You don't want to be a household name just in your own household. Networking is about building your personal brand."

Ideally, you started networking in college through internships; those are relationships you can build upon for years to come. If you weren't an intern, you can look to the parents of your friends for business introductions. Brody also recommends reading the local business journal to learn who the movers and shakers are in your market. Seek out these individuals as potential mentors. Oftentimes, these people are glad to provide constructive guidance to rookies in the field.

Where to schmooze

Already employed? Good for you! You automatically have opportunities to network without ever leaving the office.

"Instead of going to lunch alone or with the same people every day, have lunch in the company cafeteria," Brody says. "Take advantage of company-sponsored training. Hit the company gym." Brody says these strategies will enable you to meet a cross-section of people in other departments, from entry level to senior management.

Outside the office, it's always a good idea to check out the local chapter of your trade association. In these organizations you'll meet people at all stages in their careers and gain insight to cultures at other companies in your market.

How to schmooze

Let's say you've been invited to a cocktail reception or industry event. Brody suggests the following tactics:

Do your research. Find out in advance who is attending and make a list of the people you want to meet. There's nothing wrong with calling someone ahead of time to introduce yourself and say, "I look forward to meeting you at the luncheon."

Pitch creatively. Rehearse how you will introduce yourself. Phrase what you do in a way that invites conversation. Are you a media relations coordinator? Tell people that it's your job to make sure your company makes headlines.

Go with a goal. If you're an introvert, commit to introducing yourself to at least three people. If you're an extrovert, you might bump up that number to seven or eight - but not 25! Flitting around the room isn't networking.

Play your cards right. Bring your business cards and a pen, and make sure you have two pockets - one for your cards and one for the cards you collect. At your earliest opportunity, discreetly write conversational highlights or any promises made ("I'll e-mail you that article") on the backs of collected cards to ensure you don't forget. Also, stay in control of your networking: If someone asks for your card but he doesn't have a card for you, offer your pen and suggest that he write his information on the back of one of your cards.

Arrive early. If hors d'oeuvres are being served, arrive early and get eating out of the way so you can focus on conversations when the function is in full swing.

Don't drink. Or limit yourself to one drink. Alcohol slows the brain, and you need to be at your best.

Avoid pairs. When looking for opportunities to strike up a conversation, find someone who is alone or larger groups of four or more people. When you approach two people already in conversation, you might be an unwelcome interruption.

"When you network, you want to be interested and interesting," Brody says. "And if you can only be one, interested always holds more value." To show that you're interested, when you meet people you should find out their roles within the company and their interests outside the office.

"What you're looking for are commonalities and a way that you can help them," Brody says. "The law of reciprocity says that once you help someone, they will want to help you."

That's a great way to employ what you know for who you know -- and reap rewards, too