Why you should keep your networking circle small

Why you should keep your networking circle smallWhen it comes to your professional network, the mora the merrier, right? After all, more people = more chances for connection, word-of-mouth opportunities, etc. Sounds great in theory, but in reality, it might surprise you to learn that experts are recommending that you scale back your professional network and keep a smaller, more nimble group of people as your inner circle. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Theres some debate over what that number actually isevolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar famously did a study and determined that 150 is the magic number of maintainable social/professional relationships in anyones life. The reality is that theres probably no rigid number for each persons professional network, but your limit should be where you can reasonably maintain a professional relationship with someone.If that sounds counterintuitive to you, here are some of the reasons you should think about downsizing your professional crew.Your network should be carefully curated and tended.The whole point of networking is the relationships. Think back to your kindergarten class. Can you remember the names all 20 or so kids, or do you remember just a small subset of friends or particularly memorable kids? Our brains are conditioned to keep the most important information and discard the rest, and our social relationships tend to follow suit. You want your network to be people who are the most relevant to your professional growth and goalsleid necessarily every person youve met since you were an intern at XYZ Corp.You want to focus on quality, not quantity.Some people in your network are, quite simply, going to be more useful and relevant to you than other people will be. Taking a close look at your network and who still aligns with your current professional self and your hoped-for-future professional self can help you define your goals.Its okay to let people go.An unwieldy network of connections might be a symptom that you have trouble letting go or dont want to risk hurting anyones feelings. Realistically, professional network breakups are easier than other kinds of social pruning. The stakes are low if you stop following someone on Twitter or remove them as a connection on LinkedIn. If you dont find someones insights useful or are not likely to ever have a conversation with them again, why keep them kicking around in the social media ether? You dont need to be obvious or mean about it or make a dramatic announcement about how youre making cuts. Plus, its unlikely your coworker from three jobs ago is likely to send you a devastated whyyyyyyyy? message afterward. Chances are, they were getting about as much out of the relationship as you were.It gives you more bandwidth for long-term professional growth.Limiting your network to a small inner circle lets you put in more time and energy into building those relationshipsemails, occasional hangouts, chec k-ins, etc. Networking isnt just about getting something from others its about building yourself as well and finding your people. You want your interactions with your network to be mutually beneficialnot a chore or a one-way transaction for either of you. If youre hitting up someone in your network only when youre sniffing for an opportunity, then your calls/texts/emails are likely to start going ignored. On the other hand, if you put time into getting to know someone, you both get the benefit of each others expertise and a deeper knowledge of what each person has to offer.When it comes to your network, remember better, not more. Theres no prize for the number of LinkedIn connections, or the most likes on your latest professional rant on social media. You should be surrounded by people who know and support your goals, and vice versanot hundreds of people who sort of know your name from scrolling through a newsfeed. Youll find that your professional lifeand your personal one as wellw ill be all the better for these higher-quality relationships.

6 Things HR Wont Tell You About Monitoring Your Communication

6 Things HR Wont Tell You About Monitoring Your Communication Most employers use software to monitor the work done on their systems for productivity and security, but this monitoring also extends to employee communication through those systems. Technological and legal changes are allowing employers mora access to employees private lives. To help you understand how the boundaries are shifting around your privacy as an employee, here are 6 evolving trends to watch.1. New technology is allowing employers to track keystrokes and screen time.Productivity tracking software typically give employers dashboards to monitor what websites and programs employees use, how frequently, for how long and in connection to what other activities. Employers can also use these softwares to block individual sites or trigger alarms when employees visit sites.Employers have long had the ability to track keystrokes. If your employer is monitoring your words, one company has developed software that can derive y our psychological characteristics (such as emotions and thinking style). Monitoring softwares can also take screenshots of employees computers at random times or even record video of employees screens.2. File tracking can occur through multiple avenues.Employers worried that employees might store inappropriate files on their servers or steal valuable secrets can install software to monitor file and folder creation, deletion, access, copying and printing. At one of my employers, I discovered and reported to IT that any employee could see on any workplace printer the title of every document printed and by which employee. With a bug like that, employees should think twice about printing something personal or confidential at work.3. Email tracking isnt just in movies.Managers or their software are frequently reading the emails you send to colleagues. I was reminded of this in a creepy scene in HBOs Theranos documentary when an employee sent an email and received a response from a manage r who was neither a To or CC recipient.Network analysis software also tracks email, messaging and meeting patterns to put employees in categories such as influencer and change-maker. Although these type of reports may influence the way managers perceive, rate and pay their employees, such data is often not accessible by the employee.4. Content tracking can happen.Many employers have security software that is constantly searching their network for inappropriate words, programs and media. I was once involved in firing an employee whose NSFW amateur writing was found on his work computer by such software. Rule of thumb Once you put something on your employers network, it is no longer private. This also applies to content sent or received with a private device through company wifi. Employer wifi is a tempting perk, but keeping your job is worth paying for your own private data plan.5. Personal phones can be monitored, too.Most employer policies make anything put on an employers computer or network the employers property. Employees should remember never to plug their personal phones into work computers, as they could be fired once the phone backs itself up to the computer. Rule of thumb If you do it over an employer system, they can monitor it.Evidently this applies even if the employer promises they will not monitor personal content or there is no longer an employment relationship. So, employees who value their privacy should not use employer networks or devices for any personal communication and should not discuss business over their personal accounts and devices.6. Personal accounts can be inspected (sometimes) if you discuss work.In or out of the office, if employees want their personal email, messaging or social media accounts to remain private, they should not conduct work-related discussions on them. When the founder of Papa Johns Pizza challenged his firing, a court This last example may seem like overreach, but, if I sued because I felt I had been improper ly fired, and my bosses had discussed firing me over facebook inc or WhatsApp, I too would want access to those discussions. I doubt, therefore, that courts will stop employers from steadily getting more access to grey areas between private and professional. Employees can best keep their personal communication private by keeping it off company networks and keeping work communication off their personal accounts and devices.--Joshsprofessional passion is finding HR solutions that are mutually beneficial for employees and their employer. Starting as an HR Analyst and working his way up to being an HR Director, this SPHR has influenced the careers of thousands of employees and built expertise in a spectrum of HR systems and projects. Josh is driven to build sustainable, high-integrity employment relationships that enhance company performance by enabling the skills and career opportunities of its employees.