9. attending job fairs

Networking came out on top, with a 3.98 rating and nearly half of hiring managers (48 percent) ranking it a five (with five being the best).

Hiring managers named online social networking as the second most effective job search tool. They gave websites such as , Facebook and a 3.3 score, with 47 percent of survey respondents rating it four or five.

[ Find more job search tips in CIO.com's . ]

Targeting and using internet job boards tied for third place. Both methods earned average ratings of three from hiring managers. Applying directly to a position posted on an employer's website ranked fourth, with just under a three rating.