Here is the link to the article. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-massive-linkedin-study-reveals-who-actually-helps-you-get-that-job/

In the article “A Massive LinkedIn Study Reveals Who Actually Helps You Get That Job” Scientific American did a study through the Linkedin database that shows people found jobs more through something known as weak ties than strong ties. Weak ties are people that you barely know from a friend of a friend. Strong ties are people that you are close with like family, friends, or your everyday coworkers that you have a strong connection to. This kinda blown my mind because I used to think people got more frequently jobs from people that they are closer with like family and friends. Those are people that you trust and know will have your back. You can somewhat count on them to put in a good word for you to get your foot in the door. This is not the case according to the research that has been done. 

Weak ties like mutual friends can open new opportunities for you because they could mention you to a different group of people outside your friend zone. They could get you the attention of a new job hunter that may have heard from you. Since he or she is not your close friend their opinion of you will not be biased when mentioning you to a potential new employer. Thus it makes people “more productive, has good ideas and get better jobs, promotions, and wages.” I have not heard of this term until this class from the professor and this article. I’m glad I am aware of this now when I’m at the stage of job searching and hunting. 

Strong ties are just as important as weak ties but they are more important after you found a job. Strong ties provide social support as they are the people you are going to form some kind of an emotional connection with. They could be your coworkers that you have been working together with for a long time. Together you guys have struggled through work stress and other complications at work. They can help you become successful at work by helping when you are in trouble at work and offering good advice when making a hard decision.