Networking is the process of discovering and utilizing connections between people.
Genuine networks stem from friendships or business relationships.
Everyone knows other people, and thus has a network. It is a planned process in which you will interact with and become known, through formal and informal settings, to people who can provide information about job openings, leads, personal contacts, employers that are hiring, etc. You may feel a bit awkward about asking for help this way. It takes skill to network effectively. There simply is no such thing as a job or career field in which you can be rewarded entirely for what you know and how well you do your work.