Since the beginning of work, people have gotten jobs from their friends and family. Networking has always been the best way to get “in” with an opportunity.
Do you remember the movie The Graduate? In a scene during a dinner party, the main character is accosted by his father’s business friend. This gregarious older gentleman puts his arm around the younger main character and says, “Plastics, my boy!” In the movie, the main character was offered a job from his father’s best friend.
Yet people have so much anxiety about mixing their so-called professional network with their personal network. But if you think about it, not only will friends be more likely to refer you into jobs, but you’ve probably also made some of your best friends at jobs! How can you possibly draw this line?
Don’t be afraid to bring your Facebook and LinkedIn networks closer together. Bringing friends to LinkedIn can help you consider each other in a professional light and benefit from each other’s connections. Follow these steps to invite your Facebook friends to LinkedIn:
Log on to Facebook and click the gear icon on the top-right of the page.
Click Account Settings.
Click Download a copy of your Facebook Data.
Upload the contact record’s e-mail addresses to LinkedIn.