Tweet I was a lifeguard off and on for almost 20 years. Many times, it was my fall-back job when I was laid-off. One of the metro Detroit YMCAs always let me come back to earn a few extra bucks to help keep my lights on and buy groceries. The same people swam everyday and we all got to know each other. One day, the subject of conversation lead to my job loss. A woman asked me to bring in my resume one day. She laughed when I told her I had one right now. After she dressed to leave, I gave her a resume and a floppy disc with samples of my work (yes, a floppy disc. This was back in the stone age of advertising.) Minutes later, another swimmer asked for a copy of my resume, too.

The woman's husband was a plumber with his own business. I was hired to create a brochure and web page for him.

The second swimmer was running for a position in local government. I wrote and produced two radio spots for him. (He lost. Not my fault.)

Each day you walk out the door, be prepared to network under any circumstances — from walking the dog to getting groceries. It can be as simple as handing out business cards with your portfolio address. Or it can be as big as taking someone through a multimedia presentation on your laptop or iPad. If you get a conversation started, don't let them walk away without means of contacting you in the future.

Wearing a Speedo is optional.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng.