A friend of mine found this online, but could not recall the exact source – it’s worth the read for all job seekers & business developers
Take time to read this then read it again. It is an excellent description on how to network

Here’s an easy way to turn dreaded employment networking into deadly effective bonding:

When you’re networking, ask for a reference, not a job.

Whether you’re doing catch-up drinks or grabbing lunch to reconnect, your main goal is to get an ally, not a tally of job listings. Recruiting a helping hand to your search is your aim.

So don’t ask your college buddy if he knows of any jobs for people like you. How would he?

And don’t ask your boss from two jobs ago if she has the names of any people who are currently looking to hire somebody like you. It puts her on the spot.

No, instead, ask for a reference. Mention that you’re going to be moving on, or you’re already looking, or that you’re actively out on the street. Let them know the type of positions you are and are not suited for, and what you’re hoping to achieve in your next opportunity.

And then ask them if — when it gets to that happy place in your search — it would be OK to use them as a reference.

By not putting them on the spot about specific job openings, you reduce the awkwardness inherent in the networking conversation.

And by letting them know that you hold them in high enough esteem to potentially use them as a reference, you’re actually paying them a compliment.

You’re also making it easier for them to say “yes”, and to feel good about themselves for being a good friend and helping you out with this little favor.

All of which means that you have a new buddy in your search — one who’s going to be thinking about keeping an eye out for new opportunities and an ear open for fresh possibilities for their reference-able friend: you.

It’s wins and grins all around.

Now, this doesn’t work for just any old person you meet on the street. There’s probably a pretty good match between people you’d take to lunch and those you could ask to be a reference. So my advice would be to stick to asking those you know well enough.

Being realistic, the widely offered and deeply wrong advice from the past decade that you should try to extract favors, concessions, names, jobs, and career assistance from people you’ve only met over the phone is not only useless, it can be counterproductive to your aims by antagonizing your broader network.

By making your networking about compliments, you’ll find it pays dividends.