Conducting a successful job search isn’t just about sending out a lot of resumes, although that is important, it’s about building enough social capital so that you have an advantage over competitors when job opportunities become available.  Social capital in this sense is defined as the value of the connections a job candidate has with individuals and social networks.  And in today’s world, social capital can be that extra push needed to launch you into the job of your choice.  So how does a job candidate increase the value of their social networks?  Let’s take a look at a few tips:

Connect with others who have high value social networks.  Meeting, growing and maintaining relationships with others who have social capital can plug a job candidate into valuable social networks which they might not otherwise have access to.

Cultivate relationships with your peers.  Building social capital isn’t just about connecting to the proverbial “movers and shakers” of the legal world; but it is also about building and maintaining relationships with peers who may eventually have the power to move your career forward.

Build other types of value.  People want to connect with others who bring value to their lives.  Increase your personal value to others by increasing your knowledge, experience and connections and be willing to share those resources with those in your social network.