Will google penalize you for linking to non related sites?

[Tod T]

I've heard different opinions on this subject. I swap links with any website as long as I feel my type of customer visits those sites and if it will bring me business. Am I wrong for thinking this way? Will google penalize me in the rankings for some of these non related sites?

[netjobs]

as long as I feel my type of customer visits those sites and if it will bring me business

if your customers visit those types of sites, then probably you're in the right track to exchange links with them... visitors comes for information for their search and if they sees only related links they will click otherwise won't... and you feel your customers visits other links.. then the links should be relative to your content.. then this won't be a problem on SEO aspect..