For students, entering work can be strange and unsettling. At university, the expectations and metrics of success were clearly laid out. In the 'outside world', the rules are different and the expectations undefined.

Having spent so long in academia, where your adviser is the centre of your solar system, it is natural to assume that he or she will play a similar role in your job search. In the old model, you would toil away at your studies, proving yourself in the eyes of your adviser. Then, when it is time for you to leave, he or she picks up the phone, dials a few colleagues, and lands you a plum position.

Things may once have worked that way (although I have my doubts), but this system is a myth today. Not only is your adviser less influential than you think, but his or her network is probably restricted to a narrow group of colleagues. A successful job search must have you, not your adviser, at its centre.

It's not who you know ...

Your network of friends and acquaintances is the key. Studies of social and professional networks have found that it is not the people in your immediate network who connect you to your next job; rather, it is often the people they know. Even if you think you have a big network, it is still small in comparison to the number of potential employers, and likely to be skewed to the environment in which you have spent most of your time. But the networks of the people in your network may represent a larger and more diverse group. This is one of the best reasons to join an online network group such as LinkedIn; the people your friends and colleagues know, and where they are, can be critical information.

Perhaps you've seen an advert for a postdoc position at a pharmaceutical company. It sounds perfect. To increase your chances of success, you could get a contact of a contact to make an introduction. Through that introduction, you can gain insight into the job advertised or, more importantly, get an introduction to the person making the hiring decision.

Credit: A. SASS/WESTEND61/CORBIS

Or perhaps your interest is intellectual-property law. You need someone familiar with the field — its nuances and how to find a position. An informational interview with a contact by phone or, even better, in person can help. Don't know anyone in the field? Someone in your broader network probably does.

Universities often keep a database of alumni and their professional histories. Many of these individuals stay loyal to their alma maters, and are happy to help fellow alumni. And if your job search focuses on a particular place, a local alumni chapter can assist you. Conferences and short courses are also an excellent way to deepen your network in a specific area.

Your adviser may be very supportive and willing to make calls and write letters on your behalf. But to maximize your chances, you need to rely on your network. To paraphrase the old saying: it's not just what you know that matters. And it's not just who you know. It's who 'who you know' knows.