Whether it is a search for funding, sales, or startup job opportunities, LinkedIn is an invaluable network tool for getting to know “not who you know, but who those people know” - those critical second-level connections. And that is true for both the students you advise and yourself.

But what types of connections and affiliations make it most likely for requests for help to move successfully from person A to person B? 

Family and friends, of course, is number one. If a family member or good friend asks you to do something, share something, or communicate something, you’re most likely to do that. But the challenge with this group is the size (it may be too small) and alignment (it may not include connections to the kinds of people you need to find).

The second most effective affiliation, according to research by LinkedIn, is school: the connections between students, alumni, and institutions. And the third most likely is shared work experience: both industry, and organization.

With that in mind, check out John Hill’s ‘Power of the Network’ presentation from Propel 2019: