Last week I attended the Northwestern seminar “How to Get a Job With Your Magazine Concentration.” While the seminar was encouraging, I’ve already done most of the little “tricks” they recommended. I have a Web site that links to my clips. I have some kick “a” business cards. I’m already cross-platform, multi-platform, whatever-you-want-platform. So these tips sort of felt felt like no-brainers. The seminar did, however, reinforce something I’ve always know: it’s all about who you know (don’t hate me for sounding so cliche).

Nine times out of 10, when a job is posted on MediaBistro or Ed2010 it’s spoken for. There is someone either interning or perma-lancing for said magazine that is going to get the spot. Done deal. I figured this was true seeing as I’ve never gotten a response from employers who have posted on either site. My cover letters and resumes were sent out into the abyss, never to be seen or heard from again. I like to think that all my unanswered cover letters are out there partying somewhere with all of my friends’ unanswered cover letters. One can dream….

So it’s all about networking. I knew this. In fact, over the last few months, I’ve attempted my fair share of it (some successful and some not). I’ve surfed the Internet and used multiple portals just trying to get in touch with anyone who might have some great advice for me. If there’s a magazine, blog, newspaper or TV show I like, I’ve done the digging to see who’s running the ship. Email. LinkedIn. Facebook. Twitter. It goes on. Even though I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing (networking, that is), I can’t help but feel like it’s turned me into a stalker. Of course, my professors, friends and the peeps at this panel will argue that it hasn’t. Nevertheless, I’m still a little creeped out by myself.

But it’s stories like this one that drive me to be even creepier…

My friend Aranya has always wanted to work for Playboy and was beside herself when she found out they were moving their editorial offices back to Chicago. So in an attempt to get that dream job, she writes this blog post to Playboy’s new ed director Jimmy Jellinek and basically graveled at his feet begging for a job. The next week she signs up for a Twitter account for the sole purpose of following Jimmy. Sorry Aranya, was that a secret? Jimmy doesn’t have a Twitter account, but Playboy does. Each week they ask their Twitter audience a new question and that week they just so happened to ask the question “What would be your dream job?” Aranya immediately replies “To be an editor at Playboy per my blog post to Jimmy Jellinek.” Two days later Aranya gets a phone call from the Jimmy Man himself. “Hello, Aranya? This is Jimmy from Playboy. I think I have a job for you.” Shocked and stunned, Aranya proceeds to fall out of her chair, literally. My girl had an interview with them yesterday–they better hire her!

Aranya’s latest victory has me rethinking this whole networking thing. Despite feeling like a stalker, the Internet has provided us with some amazing tools and resources to get that dream job. And I can’t help but think that I need to step it up a notch. I told Aranya that I should write a blog post to everyone I want to work for and see what happens. Ha ha, just kidding… But seriously, should I? God, I sound like such a stalker.