"56% of people found jobs from their network"- 1974 study as referenced in the Tipping Point
I heard this statement and had to rewind the audio book. The study learned that the network connection was not a friend BUT an associate. What!
You would think that if you are down and out your friends would be the ones that lead you to your next job. They are not because they tend to be within a close circle that look at the same opportunities and many of times work together.
The people who you associate with travel different circles and can expose you to different opportunities and ideas. They can suggest an opportunity that you would not have even heard of or would normally considered.
Consider that this study was done in 1970s. Today with Facebook and LinkedIn that percentage has to be higher. We tend to keep in touch with many more people than in the past because messages and email are so quick to construct and do not require much thought.
The Tipping Point book by Malcolm Gladwell also points out that in the past "tribes" tended to be less than 150 people. This was because people did not feel as connected to other members and did not feel social responsibility to larger groups.
This fact is still valid. I feel a connection to the 500+ LinkedIn folks I am linked to BUT unless I maintain a direct communication with them that link will become weaker over time. It is no different than our brain and the neuron that have not fired in a while.
Today's question is:
"Have you refreshed your 'weak' network links?" recently?"
I heard this statement and had to rewind the audio book. The study learned that the network connection was not a friend BUT an associate. What!
You would think that if you are down and out your friends would be the ones that lead you to your next job. They are not because they tend to be within a close circle that look at the same opportunities and many of times work together.
The people who you associate with travel different circles and can expose you to different opportunities and ideas. They can suggest an opportunity that you would not have even heard of or would normally considered.
Consider that this study was done in 1970s. Today with Facebook and LinkedIn that percentage has to be higher. We tend to keep in touch with many more people than in the past because messages and email are so quick to construct and do not require much thought.
The Tipping Point book by Malcolm Gladwell also points out that in the past "tribes" tended to be less than 150 people. This was because people did not feel as connected to other members and did not feel social responsibility to larger groups.
This fact is still valid. I feel a connection to the 500+ LinkedIn folks I am linked to BUT unless I maintain a direct communication with them that link will become weaker over time. It is no different than our brain and the neuron that have not fired in a while.
Today's question is:
"Have you refreshed your 'weak' network links?" recently?"
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