Almost always employed workers are seeing their job finding rates fall. damircudic/Getty Images Networking is key, especially in a tight job market, so Business Insider asked career coaches for tips. It requires being specific and consistent, whether online or in person. It's easy to come across as self-centered or to ask for the wrong types of favors. You might be networking all wrong — and it could be costly. In an era of AI-generated applications and a sluggish job market for many desk workers, making connections can be key to standing out and landing a role. While forming solid professional relationships can help, it's not always easy to know how to start. Career coaches and etiquette pros shared dos and don'ts for building professional relationships: Write something personalized When networking, people too often post generic messages on LinkedIn that don't break through. "You can't go into it cold," said Jasmine Escalera, a career expert with MyPerfectResume, referring to networking. "That doesn't mean that you can't go into it making a cold connection, but you can't go into it just without a connection." That connection doesn't have to be solely professional, she said. You mi
