"The Power of Weak Ties"

Allan Schweyer's 2005 article from Inc.com, The Power of Weak Ties (In Recruiting), is still an impressive and relevant read five years after its press-date.

Schweyer investigates the way recruiters find and hire applicants--from the evolution (and downfall) of online job boards--to the creation of social networking sites six or seven years ago.

Arguing that HR professionals have mostly abandoned job search boards because of their inundation with unqualified job-seekers, Schweyer writes that managers and job seekers alike should manage their own social networks in order to find the best candidates. A professional's social network more often than not includes many "weak ties." These contacts can often be the key to finding the best new hires, Schweyer writes.

Clearly, the job-search industry has evolved much since 2000 (and even 2005), but more importantly, it is the evolution of the way people manage their own social networks that has evolved the most.