PHILADELPHIA — Networking works, especially in today’s difficult job market, according to a recent survey of members of GPSEG, an association of senior-level executives in Greater Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware committed to professional and leadership education, as well as networking.

In fact, just 42 percent of the members said they were employed at the time they joined GPSEG, compared to the 73 percent employed today. And even though the economy has struggled, that’s an increase from 2010, when a membership survey counted 59 percent employment. Of course, while networking is vital, so is the chance of finding new business opportunities.

“Networking is key to finding the next executive position in many cases,” said GPSEG Chairman and CEO Dwayne Patterson. “Our members talk regularly and attend events which give them a better idea of the lay of the land. They hear about potential job openings as well as the chance to land new business.”

GPSEG member Paul Commons of Pennington, N.J., credits the organization with him landing his position as chief financial officer, founding member and investor at Glen Mills, Pa.-based Holganix, LLC, a startup holistic organic lawn care company selling proprietary soil conditioners.

In December of 2009, Commons attended a GPSEG NJ Chapter meeting, where he sat next to Barrett Ersek, a professional speaker and serial entrepreneur who was the presenter at the meeting.

“We exchanged a few war stories and about three months later, he looked me up through GPSEG and asked if I could help him get a new company off the floor as a consultant,” said Commons, who has a background featuring 20 years working for venture capital-funded companies.

The GPSEG survey comes on the heels of troubling economic news.

In May, unemployment rates fell in fewer than half of U.S. states, a sign that job growth has slowed in much of the country. Compare that to April, when 39 states reported falling unemployment rates.

Pennsylvania reported a drop of 14,200 jobs. The commonwealth’s unemployment rate actually declined from 7.5 percent to 7.4 percent, but only the number of people seeking jobs declined.

Nationally, employers added a net gain of only 54,000 jobs in May – versus a monthly average of 220,000 the previous three months. The U.S. unemployment rate ticked up to 9.1 percent.