How can social capital help you advance your career goals?

The best way to build social capital is to become what Adam Grant calls a Giver. Givers can enhance the success of everyone around them, and in return, they benefit from it. Start with a mindset of abundance. Givers believe that there is enough in the world for everyone to thrive. Life is not a zero-sum game, and you don’t need to compete with others to win. Don’t make building social capital your goal. Make it a point to be a Giver, and the social capital will build itself.

Social capital isn't just a career tool; it's a career catalyst. It's about using relationships to meet your professional goals. Understand that every interaction is a deposit into your career bank. Start with clarity. Know your goals, know your values. If you're muddled about what you want, you'll send mixed signals, and your network won't know how to support you. Be specific, be audacious, and let your ambition be your guide.

Once you have this process in place, develop communication materials that express the value you will deliver to employers and your goals, which include the type of companies you're interested in. One such material that comes to mind is a networking profile document. This is a one-page document that highlights your major accomplishments, as well as your goals, i.e., target roles, types of companies, and the actual companies for which you'd like to work.

Remember, it's not just who you know, it's who knows what you can do. Meet people, attend events, get active online. Different perspectives breed novel ideas and unexpected opportunities.

Networking is king. Who you know equals what you know and what opportunities you can have. If you have a wide reaching network with genuine relationships of people who want to help you and work with you, you will have an abundance of opportunity. Look to give value, before you take value. But it's critical to build your relationships and your network.

Nourish relationships, because superficial connections yield superficial results. Find common interests, provide value, help without expecting immediate returns.

There's wisdom in experience and vitality in new perspectives. Learning isn't a one-way street, it's a bustling intersection where insights collide and knowledge multiplies.

You're not a shrinking violet. Showcase your value, your achievements. Speak up in meetings, share your success stories, highlight your wins. Nobody's going to toot your horn if they can't hear the music.

The power of a LinkedIn recommendation is huge! When someone leaves a recommendation directly on your profile, they feel confident enough in that individual to leave their name, photo, and the direct link to their profile for others to reach out to them asking about your abilities. I always advocate for my clients asking for referrals as soon as we begin working together. Often it takes time and follow up for those we ask recommendations from.

Finally, be bold. Ask for referrals and recommendations. Let people know you're looking for opportunities. Remember, if you don't ask, the answer will always be no. So ask, and you might just be pleasantly surprised. Success isn't just about skills and talents; it's about who you know, who knows you, and what you do about it. Leverage your social capital—it's a game-changer.