The "Golden Rule" Career Tip

Most people know that the ethic of reciprocity or "The Golden Rule" to mean to "treat others as you would like to be treated." It is a fundamental moral principle of most religions and, according to Wikipedia, arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights. It also turns out to be a killer business networking tool.

Stated simply, if you are currently employed then you should be using your current position to help as many people as possible. These are the people who will be positioned to help you out when you need it, which could be when you are next looking for a job or perhaps wanting to do well in a new job. (Of course this principle can work when you are unemployed but it is just harder and people might jump to the assumption that you have an ulterior motive for helping them.)

Helping people is remarkably easy and you shouldn't wait for people to ask you, though it is certainly easier when people do so.

Keith Ferrazzi's "Never Eat Alone" covers the "do unto others" principle in detail and that it is a critical piece of networking that can be learned.

The fact is that the stronger one's network of contacts are the easier it will be to transform careers as well as perform in your new field. Many people believe that networking is a born trait and you've either got it or you don't. Ferrazzi shows that this simply isn't the case. It's a discipline and it takes work. But the rewards are worth it and since humans are social animals it turns out to be a rather enjoyable discipline at that.

And from the book:

This karma-tinged vision of how things work may sound naive to those who have grown cynical of the business world. But while the power of generosity is not yet fully appreciated, or applied, in the halls of corporate America, its value in the world of networks is proven.

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This post is part of the LifeTwo Midlife Career FAQ.