We've all seen those people on Linkedin or Facebook with 500+ friends. Is it possible to know that many people and, if so, is it useful? It turns out the answer depends on what you want to achieve.
There are two types of relationships: weak ties and strong ties. They are both useful but for different reasons.
Weak Ties are those people who you are acquainted with. These are the people where you start a phone call with "Hi Sue, not sure if you remember me but we met at the UQ Business School function last month". You have lots of weak ties with all the people you have met over the years. Weak ties are critical for job search. They provide you with information about industry developments, possible job openings and networks into other areas. The greater your career change, the more important weak ties become. For example, shifting from being an engineer to a TAFE teacher requires you to build a whole new network with different people and your existing weak ties will be the start.
Strong Ties are those people you know really well and are critical for learning and development. Phone calls start "Hey Sue, how's it going?". You know them well and can call them at any time. Strong ties provide opportunities for mentoring (informal or formal) as your in depth discussions reveal lessons from their own experiences. Strong ties are also chances to receive feedback on your progress and how others perceive you. Because your relationship is strong, insight can be shared without judgment.
Weak ties are critical for future job searches; Strong ties are critical for short term performance. Invest in both types of relationships.
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