WASHINGTON — The message was hard to miss last week: No more wishful thinking — it's time to prepare yourself for a grim job market.

Unemployment has surged in the past four months, hitting 6.1 percent in August, the highest since September 2003. In April, the rate stood at 5 percent.

Even a top-notch performance may not be enough to save your job. The layoff lists are full of people who turned in first-rate work yet didn't survive the cut. Though job security may be unattainable, resiliency can be yours. Become the employee who's kept on despite layoffs. Or at least make sure you have the skills and contacts necessary to make a pink slip your springboard to a better job.

You'll need to build a foundation of cutting-edge skills, personal likeability — and, not least, a well-nurtured network of contacts.

James Thomas is a master of the art of networking. He has worked in the human relations field for about 30 years, most recently as executive vice president of human resources and administration for WebMethods, a suburban information technology company.

But not even a background in HR can vaccinate you against unemployment. When a German company acquired WebMethods in 2007, Thomas lost his job. He turned to his extensive network, which has provided him with consulting work as he remains open to the possibility of other employment.

Thomas' strategy: "Seek people who are truly strategic network connections with you, who clearly understand how you have branded yourself."

By "strategic network," Thomas refers specifically to people in a position to help with your career. "Of all the people you know, maybe 20 percent fall into that strategic network, those who have your interests in mind, the 20 percent who truly can broaden your opportunities for success," he said.

Thomas builds his network by joining organizations and broadly contributing his expertise. He serves on the boards of a number of business and community organizations, for example. "Nonprofit boards are easier to get on," he said. "And they want professional people to get involved."

All sorts of organizations can help build your network as you help others. Charity, religious and service organizations such as the Lions and Rotary clubs offer opportunities.

Thomas' networking extends to the virtual world, as well. "LinkedIn (the business equivalent of the Facebook online social network) is one I'm very impressed with," Thomas said. "Many search executives are using LinkedIn to contact people they don't know."

John Challenger, chief executive of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a firm that companies hire to counsel the people they're laying off, also likes LinkedIn. "I think of LinkedIn as kind of the Rolodex squared," he said. "Each of the 100 people I know knows 100 people. All of a sudden, you know 10,000 people, plus you have their resume, plus other information. It speeds our relationship-building. I think it's a paradigm-changing thing in my life."

To keep yourself attractive, you need to stay on top of not only the skills required in your field but also your computer and Internet skills. "You want always to be one step ahead of someone else," said Lisa Stern, director of operations for the MontgomeryWorks one-stop workforce center in suburban Montgomery County, Md.

It's not only that many job applications are now accepted only online, said Stern, but employers are now much more demanding about the skills expected from new hires.

Employees need to continually re-invest in their futures, whether they qualify for government help or have to pay the tab on their own. Community colleges offer courses and certifications that can help keep career skills up-to-date.

You can search for community colleges and other training programs through a Web site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, www.careeronestop.org.

The site links to a variety of valuable services, including searches for local one-stop career centers and state-run job banks.