You may have noticed actor Kevin Bacon starring in recent EE adverts promoting the mobile operator’s new 4G service.
Well, Kevin wasn’t chosen to appear in the adverts solely because of his fame, but because of an amusing game, popular in America, called “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon”.
The game is based on the “six degrees of separation” concept, by which we are supposedly only ever six connections away from any other person. The “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” is based on the same principle but challenges movie buffs to connect any other actor to Kevin Bacon!
This brings me back to EE, who cleverly enlisted Kevin Bacon – a clearly well connected man – to front their campaign to highlight the endless connectivity options provided through their 4G service.
The campaign is certain to revitalise the notion that we all are in fact just 6 connections apart from the people we want to know, and in the world of recruitment, this couldn’t be truer. That’s where the importance of networking comes into play.
It’s estimated that almost 50% of all jobs are found through networking. Therefore getting to know the right people will prove invaluable, whether you are actively searching for a new job or not. It’s no secret that that maintaining a relationship with well-connected business leaders across your industry, will increase your chances of being headhunted at a later stage.
There are four crucial qualities for successful “networkers”:
- Strong self-belief: Belief in yourself will only make career objectives and goals all the more achievable
- Genuine concern: Take an authentic interest in other people. No one will remain interest if you only talk about yourself
- Persuasive energy: Make sure other people have the opportunity to see you in the positive way you see yourself
- Buckets full of courage: Networking does not come naturally to most. In fact, this is probably the most difficult quality to find in people, so set yourself apart from the rest and have the courage to take a risk – network!
It may sound daunting but it is important to remember that networking is simply about meeting new people and establishing strong, increasingly important, business connections.
For more information on our executive search services, please contact us on: +44 (0) 28 9076 9900.