Surveys consistently show that most job openings are filled by referral, proving “who you know” is helpful in getting a job. However, “who you used to know” or “who you don't know so well” could be even more helpful.
In 1973, Mark Granovetter, then a professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University, published The Strength of Weak Ties in the American Journal of Sociology. His study of a random sample of job changers in a Boston suburb found that 56 percent got their jobs through a personal contact. But his key finding was that of those 56 percent, 84 percent got their jobs through a contact they saw “occasionally” or “rarely.” This confirmed the need to seek job-hunting assistance from people other than your closest contacts, the “weak ties.”
Despite technology, job hunting remains a personal activity, not a virtual one.
“People close to you know the same things you know,” says Dr. Granovetter, author of Getting a Job: A Study of Contacts and Careers. “Weak ties move in different circles and can give you different information. People get their jobs disproportionately through weak ties versus strong ties. Other studies since [1973] generally bear that out.”
Dr. Granovetter's findings also show that those who get a job based on a referral receive a higher salary and have a higher level of job satisfaction compared to those who got jobs by other methods, such as answering ads or through a search firm.
Building Your Network
How can you take advantage of the weak ties in your network? “I think it's hard to give advice about that,” says Dr. Granovetter, now a sociology professor and department chair at Stanford University. “The most effective networkers are naturally nice to a large number of people without worrying about what they will get out of it. They have better networks and weak ties than those who try too hard.”
Strong professional contacts are an important part of a personal network because they provide faster access to the people and information that can help you succeed at your current job. But they are not the most effective when seeking a job. “Strong ties do provide things: emotional support, help, money,” says Dr. Granovetter, “but probably not new information.”
Weak ties in some cases could be so obvious you might overlook them. Some may not even be in your contacts file. Finding them and keeping them takes only a little extra effort.
When seeking a job, overcome the reluctance to speak about your search and don't assume someone may not be helpful because you haven't seen them for some time. Mention your search to everyone.
When co-workers leave for another employer, get their new contact information and make an effort to keep in touch. They are likely to seek former colleagues to fill job openings, and they can provide you better information on the company, its culture and what it's really like to work there. “You can get higher quality information this way,” Dr. Granovetter says. “The best headhunters cultivate networks [to take advantage of this].”
Occasions like annual conferences and school reunions offer an easy way to maintain contact with weak ties. “Weak ties are efficient in terms of time,” Dr. Granovetter says. “They take a minimum of maintenance.”
High-Touch, Not High-Tech
Despite technology, job hunting remains a personal activity, not a virtual one. Dr. Granovetter's findings can help job searchers increase their chances for success by verifying the importance of personal contact and directing them toward people from all realms of their life, even those they haven't seen for awhile. “People don't forget each other,” says Dr. Granovetter, “and that's what makes it hard to predict who will be able to help you.”