So, just what do you do with all those business cards?
In the beginning of my networking journey, I filed them, alphabetically, in the same box that my business cards came in. I have since outgrown that box and have developed a new system.
1) As I leave an event, or when I get home from the event, I will take a few minutes to write on the back of the card, my impressions of the person that gave it to me. Notes like: introduce this person to John B. Mutual interests (boating, cheesecake, both hate networking, etc.)
2) As soon as possible, but not more than 1 day after, separate the cards with notes from the pack, file them in 'the notebook.'
3) The Notebook: this is an old 3 ring binder from one of my son's school days (trapper keeper). Each Networking group has a separate section in the notebook, there is some paper in there that I use to keep notes about the event, where it was, what kind of event it was, what I thought of the speaker, and any thing else I would like to remind myself of.
4) I recently met someone that makes copies of all the cards he gathers, uploads the information into an 'ACT' style database and includes extensive notes about each person he spoke to. He has 3 office style file drawers filled with binders, containing all the business cards he gathered in the last 30 years. Indexed. With comments.
5) I also recently met someone that uses a photo album as a file system. This works very much like my notebook system.
Whatever your method of filing these important scraps of someone's life, do not simply discard or recycle the business cards you gather. You never know when you will need to contact the person that sells specialized doodads for someone you just met at a networking event that is looking for specialized doodads!

How many kinds of Networkers are there?
To begin with you need to understand what you want to get out of networking. 
 Are you looking for a job?
Are you looking for investors for your start up business?
Does your interest lie in building your business? Or in building your employers business?
Would you consider your self an introverted networker or an extrovert networker?
Yes, these are all very different kinds of Networkers, with very different views on networking.
In the next few weeks, I hope to address these as well as what kinds of Networks are out there?
For the Job Seeker: Yes, Networking is a very necessary evil these days. You could always rely on the 'cattle call' of a Job Fair, but you just do not have time to connect with a recruiter at them. If you are fortunate enough to connect with an H.R. person, please remember that he or she will be seeing many others and you need to significantly stand out from the crowd.
Quite often, when you find a Networking group that focuses on job seekers and prospective employers, there will be a publicised list of participating companies. Don't just focus on a single company (unless they hold your dream job and you have an 'in'), corporate personnel will attend similar events, so if you are looking at ACME Financial, you might also find Other Financial attending as well. Chances are good that Other Financial will have a similar position in the near future.
A note on Social Networking for the Job Seeker: Be wary of connecting your Twitter account to your LinkedIn site, Companies are looking at LinkedIn sites for information on you, are you sure you want them to read everything you tweet about?

More on Networking Basics next week.
;D