Do You Have a Network?

When I first started out in the Boston restaurant business, I knew tons of people. There were always new people getting hired or coming in for dinner, so I met people from all different professions. At one point, I was friends with a stand-up comedian, a drag queen, a Boston Celtics basketball player and a theater director. It was a great network for finding apartments, jobs and nightly entertainment.

Now that I have been in the same corporate setting for five years, it’s so different. I still meet people, but in an office you only end up knowing the people you work with directly, so the circle ends up being a lot smaller. Then as time goes on and the company grows, I find myself walking through the Den (Monster’s version of a break/meeting room) knowing fewer and fewer people until I’m left wondering: Do I still have a network?

A recent article in the Electronic Recruiting News about a new blog called TuSK, which stands for Talent u Should Know, got me thinking. The blog is written by Jeff Hunter, a former recruiter. As Jeff explains on his site, the blog is an informal network that will spotlight the people he knows and respects through his personal six degrees of separation. It will be a platform for him to personally validate professionals and give recruiters and hiring managers a chance to interact with his elite network.

This is such an interesting concept. Imagine if all the industry leaders started posting their own TuSKs -- this would be a highly effective recruitment and job searching tool. Recruiters would have a way to get the inside scoop on recommended candidates, and candidates would have an opportunity to shop themselves around with a highly decorated stamp of approval.

So keep your eye out for a TuSK near you. Until then, here’s some insight into building a network of your own:

• Networking Opportunities Are Everywhere

• "Network with the Well-Connected for Faster Results"

• "Why Networking Works"

• "You Can't Get There Alone"

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