Networking. Work with and impress people who know people, then ask for an introduction if need be. My experience has been that "volunteering" (working for free,

Networking. Work with and impress people who know people, then ask for an introduction if need be. My experience has been that "volunteering" (working for free, if you prefer) has helped me make connections I wouldn't otherwise have the skills/experience/connections to get through conventional means. Granted, I've actively avoided California, so YMMV.