How Strong Is Your Network?

Congratulations! You now have 500 or maybe 1000 connections on LinkedIn. You have 600 Facebook Friends. Maybe you have 1000 Twitter followers. That is a great social network. Or so you would like to believe.

My friend Pete once offered me a challenge: Go through your 500 LinkedIn connections and ask yourself one question, "How many of these people could create a job for me on the day I needed it?" In his theory, if the answer is one, you are better than most. If the answer is two or more, you are invincible. I'll give you a hint: it is difficult to say you have even one.

Networks are the most powerful way to get hired. It is always better to have someone personally recommend you for a position than to trust your fate to the zeroes and ones of the online job boards. Even if your network cannot instantly create jobs for you out of thin air, chances are you have a chunk of second tier connections who will help you find a job by championing your cause.

I like my friend Pete's question, but the other question to ask of your network (particularly if you are an entrepreneur) is "How many of these people would buy from me, twice?" It's the last word of that question that's the key to me. Anyone can dupe someone into buying something or trying something that they totally don't want. Once. As soon as you start talking about repeat business, the focus shifts to customer service and good response.

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