Build Social Capital

Build Social Capital

What can you do this week to build a connection with just one person?

Joel Bein
Joel Bein

This post originally appeared as issue 7 of the Daily Job Hunt email. Sign up for kick-butt career hype in your inbox each morning.

Build Social Capital


"Social capital" is the goodwill you have with a person. Boost it often.

Be curious about people, and ask interesting questions. Do favors. Look for excuses to write handwritten thank you notes.

Do the same on the job hunt. Reach out and thank or compliment employees at your dream company. Share an article they wrote.

Better yet, write a blog post about why a company is awesome, and send it to the founder.

Create and give, baby!


Run your job hunt on social media


We live in a new world. Why not get creative and broadcast your job hunt on social? In this post, check out how Amanda Jones landed a marketing role just that way. She says:

"If you start a conversation, you have a much higher percentage of saying, Hey I want to slide a pitch in there,' or even asking for referrals, being like, 'Hey, this person at Microsoft said you’re going to go really far.' Then like, go DM them!"

Say what you want about Twitter, but it can be a magical place.


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Daily Job Hunt

Joel Bein

Joel Bein is Chief of Content and Coaching at Career Hackers and passionate about personal growth and self-driven learning. As a trained musician, he is Founder of the New Orleans Chamber Players.