Six Degrees of Separation

Six degrees of separation isn’t just for Kevin Bacon anymore. With the economic forecast looking brighter we would hope hiring options would improve, but it doesn’t look to work that way. Hiring is one of the later areas to improve during a recovery. The tight job market is expected to stay for at least 4 more months with a significant growth not coming until well in to 2010. But, people are hiring. Work is still out there. We just need to be creative in how we find it and what it looks like. That is why we must begin our own game of six degrees.


Employers are receiving hundreds of resumes even for positions that used to garner minimal response. It should go without saying that the old process of throwing a generic resume at a job posting doesn’t work in this environment, but it goes deeper than that. Just sending a resume doesn’t work either. To begin with, not all the jobs are being posted for us to learn about. Employers know they can find people through unconventional and less costly and time consuming ways so they are not posting everything. To find opportunities we must network. Further, to get our resume on top of the pile, we must network. Finally, to push the other interviewing finalists aside, we must network.

We are in a socially oriented society and I don’t just mean through means such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. People want to feel connected and they want to feel good about the people they add to their teams. Connecting on a social, more personal, level is essential to getting the right kind of attention in today’s job market.

So, how do we find the jobs, get the referral, get the recommendation, and get the job. We are strategic in networking. The first step is to create an exhaustive list of a potential network. I like to work in categories. Who do I know from my hometown, college, law school, church, neighborhood, family, friends, my spouse’s circle, bowling league, etc. Then, I prioritize them A through C. A means they have contacts in my field and they know me well. B means they are connected to my field and know me well. C means they are either not connected to my field or they don’t know me well.

All the contacts should be approached, but you will change up how you approach them based on the connection. For some, mostly those in the A category, your approach should be quite direct. “I am in a transition period and am looking for opportunities to get in front of people in my field. Do you know anyone?” Or, “Jon, I know your company hasn’t been hiring, but do you think there is a way for me to help out without adding an FTE to your group?” For others in the B and C categories, the approach will vary from the direct, “Alexis, I have been looking for a position in X field and am running in to roadblocks. Do you know anyone or have any ideas?” to the subtle, “Sara, how are things going for you at XYZ? I hope things are looking up.” In this final case, you may never specifically discuss your search, but being out in front of people, expressing interest in their lives and showing your bright, shiny, brilliant self may just be enough to have you in her thoughts when an opportunity is mentioned.

Make sure to treat networking as a requirement in your day or week. Make goals for number of contacts and invest time in being out in the community. In Minneapolis, you can do significant networking just by walking in the skyways from 11 to 1 p.m. Oh, the people you will run in to that had fallen off your radar!!! Stop, chat, get reacquainted.

Two final points on networking. First, remember that networking goes both ways. Keep other people’s interests and needs in mind. Connect them to others who may help them find a job or advance in their job. Second, don’t just network with people who are decision-makers, have full-time jobs, or work in traditional environments. And, when talking to them, don’t just have your mind on a full-time job with benefits. Think outside the box. Could they hire you as a contract employee? Would they have a lead on a short-term project (hey, it is money and often an introduction for a fulltime position)?

So, get organized and get out there. Even Kevin Bacon had to start somewhere.