Social networks key to career success

Source: The Courier-Mail

THE NEW YORK TIMES ran an illuminating article this week highlighting the subtle factors that hold certain groups back in the workplace.

Nancy DiTomaso, who conducted research on the unemployment disparity between whites and blacks in the US, finds that the driving but unspoken force behind it is often the favouritism that results from social networking.

We all know how important networking is -- most of us probably didn't get our jobs by cold-submitting a resume. So it makes sense that disadvantaged groups -- no matter their skills -- have a much harder time finding an "in." "In the context of widespread networking, the idea that there is a job 'market' based solely on skills, qualifications and merit is false," writes DiTomaso.

So while outright discrimination may not be as big a factor in inequality as it once was, the side effects or our not-fully-integrated lives continue to weigh heavily on success.

Is this kind of favouritism affecting you? Have you had help because of your social networks? Let us know in the comments.

And since networking is a necessary part of modern life, here's how to build one:

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Holden slammed over career 'advice'

Holden plant workers on the afternoon shift gather to hear the news of redundancies at the plant. Picture: Tait Schmaal Source: adelaidenow

Holden employees watch the unveiling of the VF SS Commodore sports sedan at the Elizabeth plant. Picture: Mark Brake Source: The Advertiser

GM Holden chairman and managing director Mike Devereux announces that 400 jobs will go at Holden's Elizabeth plant. Picture: Tait Schmaal Source: adelaidenow

Holden will unveil a new Commodore one last time before they bow out in 2016. Source: Supplied

HOLDEN has been slammed for suggesting that redundant factory workers should take up a career mowing lawns, cutting hair or get into aged care - as experts warn the job losses could spill into the supplier industry "within months".

Holden said that after the Global Financial Crisis its redundant factory workers were assisted into "childcare, landscaping, gardening, aged care and hairdressing".

Holden spokeswoman Andrea Matthews suggested people look to the growing services sector for work.

"With the most recent retrenchments we had at Elizabeth ... there was a high success level of people finding employment,'' she said.

"After the GFC in Adelaide we had a working committee ... and went through a process of where employees nominated what areas they wanted to reskill in. 

"We worked to facilitate training in those areas. It was things like childcare, landscaping, gardening, aged care and hairdressing. There's a broad range of options we accessed for them in 2009. 

"The manufacturing industry in SA has been hit very hard over several years. Aged care is one of those areas which continues to need more labour.

"If three-quarters of roles are in the service area you would say that is where three-quarters of the potential openings are.'' 

When pressed as to what transferable skills those production line workers would likely have, Mrs Matthews nominated "skills in manufacturing'' and "working to job instructions''.

But SA Unions secretary Janet Giles said Holden is undervaluing the skills of its workers.

"Lawnmowers’ jobs are low-paid, largely casual employment," she said. "You're asking people to move from high-paid, secure jobs to low-paid, insecure jobs."

Lawnmowers earn an average salary of $37,440 while hairdressers make $33,800. Staff at the Holden Adelaide plant earn between $45,000-$70,000 a year.

Furthermore, Giles said, the transitions are not as easy as Holden makes them out to be. "You can't just be a boilermaker then move into hairdressing.(These new jobs) require complete retraining so you couldn't build on any of the current skills people have."

Meanwhile the Federation Automotive Products Manufacturers - which represents 100 of the top 150 suppliers to Holden Ford and Toyota - says job cuts will be inevitable in the wake of Holden’s announcement.

"I’ve spoken to some of our key members today and they’ve said that when Holden goes from building 400 cars a day to 335, it will have an impact on employment at their companies for sure," Richard Reilly, chief executive of FAPM, told News Limited.

"It’s not rocket science. If you’re not building as many cars, you don’t need as many parts."

Holden will reduce the number of cars it builds from August 1, to a rate of 74,000 cars per year (down from 85,000 last year and 165,000 at its most recent peak in 2004) but the job cuts at suppliers may come sooner now that they know demand will drop.

"It’s early days, and it’s too hard at this stage to estimate how many suppliers and jobs may be affected," Reilly said.

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Why playing it safe is killing your career

Workers, and women in particular, need to learn to promote themselves, speak up and take risks in order to get ahead in the corporate world. Picture: Thinkstock Source: Supplied

• Workers are "not doing enough" to promote themselves
• Playing it safe is killing career options, author claims
• People need to be more willing to take risks to get ahead

PLAYING it safe and not taking enough risks is creating a workplace culture where those climbing the corporate ladder will never get ahead, a leading author argues.

In her new book, Stop Playing Safe, Margie Warrell, who has picked the brains of some of the world's most influential business people, says we are not doing enough to promote ourselves in the workplace and are being held back by a culture of fear of making mistakes.

And she says women in particular tend to be the biggest offenders at second guessing themselves and must learn to take more calculated risks in order to boost their career options.

Ms Warrell, who has appeared on TV shows including The Circle, Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise, and The Morning Show, argues women need to learn to advocate more and apologise less.

"Generally my experience and research has found women do tend to second guess themselves and are more risk averse than men," she said.

"Women also apologise too much which undermines what we say before we've even said it."

In her book, the Australian blogger and regular Forbes columnist said the workplace is changing fast and it was time people stuck their necks out and became more willing to get noticed.

"Until we are willing to put ourselves out there and take a risk, we will never be able to achieve professional success and achieve our potential," she says.

"We need to take more risks, get out of our comfort zone and be willing to risk making mistakes and most of all recognise the value we bring."

With that in mind she says there’s five easy steps we can take to get ahead, get noticed and move up the corporate ladder.

1. Risk awkward conversations: speak candidly
People must be willing to step back from behind the computer screen and talk open and candidly, particularly where sensitive issues are concerned. Ms Warrell says it not only builds trust but also recognition and influence.

2. Risk ignorance: challenge assumptions
People must be willing to throw away their maps of how the world works and be more willing to step into a place of not knowing, she argues. Those who are aware of their own ignorance will be more likely to navigate where they want to go much faster.

3. Risk rejection: flout conformity
While no one wants to be disliked or face criticism or rejection, conforming is not only regressive but holds you back from standing out. She says: "Being willing to own what makes you unique, to walk your own path, express your own opinion and do what's true for you - versus what others expect of you - is not easy, yet it's crucial to your success and it's what sets you apart from the crowd."

4. Risk imperfect decisions: be decisive despite uncertainty
Taking action, even if it’s wrong is ultimately more fruitful and productive than doing nothing at all, Ms Warrell says, adding that waiting until you have all the information can prove costly and inhibiting. "In a world where change is happening fast and the windows of opportunity are limited, indecision can be costly," she writes.

Finally and perhaps most importantly she argues people need to learn to self-promote.

5. Toot your own horn
The author argues there's a distinctive difference between promoting yourself to stroke an insecure ego and sharing your value without sounding like a "braggart" - or someone who brags too much.
In fact, Ms Warrell claims we don't do it enough and self-promotion is far from conceited but actually vital for getting ahead and climbing the career ladder.
"In today's competitive workplace, unless you are willing to toot your own horn from time to time, you run the risk of being left behind as the horn blowers around you," she says.
She maintains it's no longer about what or who you know but it's more a case of who knows what you know.

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How to have a remarkable career

Reid Hoffman, chairman and co-founder of LinkedIn, second from left, and Jeffrey Weiner, chief executive officer of LinkedIn, centre, at the New York Stock Exchange in 2011. Picture: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images Source: Getty Images

• Billionaire founder of LinkedIn has seven career tips
• Reid Hoffman reveals his advice for a remarkable career
• Take risks and make the most of your networks, he says

TAKE risks and mine your networks for information and you'll have an excellent career, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman says.

The billionaire founder of professional networking site LinkedIn has ended up one of the world's most successful social media entrepreneurs.

But it wasn't a quick ride to the top with one great idea and a plan from an early age.

Mr Hoffman wanted to be an academic early in his career, and presided over a failed social network before he joined PayPal as a start up, and then founded LinkedIn.

He wrote advice book The Start-Up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career with fellow entrepreneur Ben Casnocha, and Business Insider has reproduced a visual summary of the book, which you can see here.

Here are seven of the book's key tips for having a remarkable career:

All humans are entrepreneurs

No matter what your job is, your entrepreneurial venture is your own career. Forge new sorts of careers.

Develop a competitive advantage

Differentiate or die – chart a career path that sets you apart from other professionals.

Pick a market niche where you're better than the competition. To be successful, your skills, aspirations and market value need to work together to make you better than other professionals in your work market.

Plan to adapt

Make learning a priority over tangible rewards (cash) during your career, and learn by doing.

Your identity emerges through experimentation, so always have an experimental plan A, and alternative plan B and a certain fall-back option plan Z for your career.

It takes a network

“Every job boils down to interacting with people,” Mr Hoffman and Mr Casnocha write. Strengthen all your relationships, and leverage their connections as well as yours.

Create  a networking fund with a percentage of your pay to cover coffee, lunches and other meetings.

Pursue breakout opportunities

Remarkable careers are punctuated by breakout opportunities, not steady growth. Opportunities are linked to people, so make as many contacts as you can - join clubs and attend conferences.

Take intelligent risks

Every possible career move involves risk - if you take small risks every day, you're less likely to run in trouble when you take bigger career risks.

Who you know is what you know

Use your network to access information. Find out who knows what, and use them as your bank of information.

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