You will hear over and over that networking is going to be the key to your professional success. But what is networking?

Simply put, networking is about developing casual, professional relationships. Regardless of your employment status, you should always cultivate and maintain a strong professional network. However, for servicemembers transitioning into a civilian career and for veterans seeking career advancement, networking takes on a heightened importance: It becomes your main source for information, job leads, and potential interview opportunities.  

You should ensure everyone you know -- not just professional colleagues, but friends and family, too -- understands your career interests and desires. Conversely, always remember that networking is a two-way street. You need to nurture, develop, and grow your relationships by being genuine and proactively ready to help others, as well. 

It is conservatively estimated 80% to 85% of all jobs come through networking. Therefore, you need to put in the right amount of effort on networking when you are in job-hunt mode.

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People tend to spend too much time on résumé development when they should be expanding and strengthening their networks. Initially, I would recommend putting 75% of your time toward networking, with the rest spent on résumé preparation and other administrative tasks. Think of networking as your overarching system and your résumé as just one tool in the toolbox. 

Bottom line: You should always be networking, whether you are actively looking for a job or not.