{"id":3386,"date":"2014-11-05T12:00:11","date_gmt":"2014-11-05T17:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/?p=3386"},"modified":"2014-11-05T12:00:11","modified_gmt":"2014-11-05T17:00:11","slug":"online-networking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/online-networking\/","title":{"rendered":"The Reciprocity Rule of Online Networking"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Peter<\/a>
Peter Weddle, Weddles.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s all the rage these days. If you\u2019re in transition, you have to be using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. But why? The rationale seems to be that if you can just reach the right person \u2013 no matter how distant and tenuous the link \u2013 you can depend on them to help you land a job. Best sellers have been made with such a claim, but in actuality, it\u2019s more wishful thinking than a realistic expectation.<\/p>\n

Stop and think about it.\u00a0If you were in the place of some remote contact \u2013 if you were a friend of a friend of a Web connection \u2013 would you risk your reputation and credibility to stand up for someone who was essentially a stranger?\u00a0I doubt it, and that reality is the invisible flaw in online networking today.<\/p>\n

\"Tweetables\"[ctt tweet=”Follow the Golden Rule of Networking: Give as good as you get.” coverup=”NiCvV”]<\/p>\n

If you want others to help you in your job search, then you must first be helpful to them.<\/em><\/p>\n

Share your knowledge, wisdom, information and ideas with peers, friends and colleagues.<\/p>\n

Networking on the Web is a contact sport. You need to keep developing connections, friends and followers\u2014but more isn\u2019t necessarily better.<\/p>\n

Be selective. Don\u2019t risk your reputation or your own job security by vouching for someone you don\u2019t know.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As it\u2019s currently practiced, networking on the Web is a contact sport.\u00a0The more connections, friends and followers you have, the better.\u00a0Your networking prowess is determined by the size of your address book.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the purpose of all that effort? Apparently, it\u2019s to increase the odds that someone might tell you about an opening you haven\u2019t seen, or recommend you for a job you\u2019re trying to land.\u00a0The math makes sense, but the strategy doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Why?\u00a0Because it violates Mom\u2019s Rule<\/em>.\u00a0What was the first lesson your mother taught you?\u00a0That\u2019s right, \u201cDon\u2019t speak to strangers.\u201d\u00a0Or, to put it in workplace terms, don\u2019t risk your reputation or your own job security by vouching for someone you don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n

Now, some will say that violates the Golden Rule, but it depends on which Golden Rule you mean.\u00a0You see, there are actually two: one for everyday human interaction and one for the interactions that occur in the job market.<\/p>\n