Many jobs aren’t advertised in the daily newspaper, at local career centers or at temporary employment agencies. So how do people find these jobs? Many people forget about an important and valuable resource: word of mouth. For years, everyone’s talked about the “Good Old Boy” network, traditionally a group of men with similar interests, education, and social class who have bonded together in an informational network to give each other a helping hand and to keep as many of themselves in power/jobs as possible.

The system works, and it can work for you, even if you’re not old or a boy. First, you need to reach out to friends and acquaintances who understand your skills and employment goals. Would you like to work in a floral design shop? Get to know some people who work in the field. Maybe you know someone who works in a shop already, or you know someone who teaches floral design at the local community college. Ask around to see if they know someone who might be hiring, especially if their busy period is coming up. Many businesses hire extra help around the holidays—if you do a great job, you could be asked to stay on.

Let your friends and family know what kind of job you’re looking for so they can let you know what job openings might be available at their workplaces. They can ask their neighbors and spouses for you, as well. If you ask ten friends for information, and they each ask ten people on your behalf, your inquiry could get out to as many as 100 people or more. In a small town, that might be enough to get you to the door of your future employer.

If you don’t have the perfect training for a job you’d like, consider accepting a different job within an organization and take extra time after hours for some on-the-job training for the position you originally wanted. Sometimes when an employer sees how hard you’re willing to work to achieve your goals, he or she will be inclined to offer you just what you want.

If you want to catch an employer’s eye and you’re not hurting for money at the moment, another way to impress someone is to volunteer. You can pick up the skills you need as you work on site, and when a job becomes available, you’ll be on the inside when it’s time to apply.

The more contacts you make, the wider your network, and the more likely you are to land a job. In small towns, there’s an average of 25 to 50 applicants for every clerical opening, and big cities may have five times as many. Personal contacts can give you a much-needed leg-up when competition is fierce. Let people know you’re looking and have them pass on a recommendation or a good word, if they can. Be a name-dropper—remind the employer someone he or she knows recommended you.

Because you’ve made a personal contact with an employer or other crucial person once doesn’t meWan they’ll remember you. Make contact again, even if you’ve left a resume or had an interview, to remind them of your interest. If common business practice says it takes the average person seven times hearing something before they remember it, the same is true of your name and face. You’ll find persistence pays!