Every day in a current job represents an opportunity for technology professionals to build relationships with colleagues, vendors, recruiters and online communities, Hill said.

Not everyone takes advantage of that opportunity, however, largely because building relationships takes time. Soliciting opinions, offering praise, helping even when you're not required to and participating online are all steps in the right direction, but it's up to you to nurture those early beginnings of a relationship over time, she explained.

"If you can't think of 20 people that you could call to help in your job search, then you have some work to do," Hill advised. "Try and give yourself a goal: Contact three people in your network each week, or attend a Linux user group once a month. It's not too late to become a networker, even if the term feels foreign."

Cloer suggested that attending Linux-specific events like the Linux Foundation's LinuxCon can also be a good way to meet the right people.

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