Trying to find a job by calling people you don't know and asking them for help probably sounds dreadful, like a cross between telemarketing and door-to-door sales. After all, nobody likes rejection, and this job-search strategy is sure to provoke a rash of apologies and unreturned phone calls.
Yet, what if it works? What if you can find a great job simply by making phone calls and meeting with people who want to help you? Would you try it? That's the premise behind networking, the practice of contacting everyone you know (and everyone they know) to ask for their advice and support. And it works.