We've all heard of the phrase "six degrees of separation" (which was recently hijacked by the game
"six degrees of Kevin Bacon" but that's a whole other story) but I think it's about time we reminded ourselves just how connected we are, particularly as we all work in the people industry: recruitment.
The six degrees logic is relevant to those seeking employment, as well as to those trying to find and place a new candidate. This is all the more important now given the shift in jobseeker mentality that has been caused by the econominc instability: if you're not employed then you're actively seeking employment (that's nothing new); if you
are employed in a job that you're
content with, but you'd move if the most amazing opportunity came your way, then you're a passive job seeker (this has become increasingly prevalent - gone are the days you could quit a job and only be temporarily unemployed. People are playing it safe these days.)
The rise of social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter have focused users on establishing connections and increasing the amount of "friends" and "followers" and LinkedIn has clarified these connections with their "how you are connected to X" section that numbers people according to networks. Ironically most people have no idea that one's own circle of friends and family may contain a wealth of job-related resources, we've all been too busy increasing the numbers to satisfy our self-esteem!
So how then to strategically use one's own social network? Leveraging this network may be a distinguishing factor that determines the success of some job seekers versus others, so it's time to jump on board. (As a recruiter, think of how you can make yourself accessible to people you may not know but with whom you share various degrees of separation.)
Look at your networks and consider where you can go from there:
- Colleagues
- Professional associations
- Family members
- Friends (and the related social events you attend with them)
- People from your school and university - including students and faculty members
- Agencies
- Social and professional networking sites - Facebook, LinkedIn, Bebo, Twitter, MySpace...
- Trade journals / newsletters to which you subscribe
- and more..!
In my personal opinion, people lack the confidence necessary to approach our social networks and avail ourselves of the resources they can offer. Reaching out confidently and letting those in your network know that you've got skills is a challenge. However, we can't rely on the cyberspace as the sole method of communcation when rising to this challenge, there is still room for face-to-face networking, particularly when tapping into your six degrees network - after all, you don't want to reflect poorly on the friend-of-a-friend who recommended you.
So consider your varying degrees of separation when you have a moment. Where can they get you tomorrow?
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