Six Degrees of Connections

Many people know how important friends are in helping you find a job. However, when asked which friends are the most valuable, nearly all answer ‘close friends and family’. But this isn’t so.

Your close friends tend to know the same people as you, and therefore hear of the same career opportunities. It is the loose connections that are the most beneficial, those who, by definition, move in different circles to you. There are also a lot more of them. When you are actively seeking a job, you need to find ways to stay in touch with this broader circle - and ideally find ways to help them.

Your close friends are often not the best ambassadors for you anyway. They can be seen to be biased, and can also be too close to you to be objective. There are probably a hundred more effective and helpful ways to introduce your friends.