Want A High-Paying Job? Use Your Online Network

In finding a high-paying job nowadays, new research found that while what you know and where you've been defines your marketable value, who you know online also matters. A study by a group of researchers at North Carolina State University, comparing how individuals search and land jobs in Germany and the US, reveals that the likes of LinkedIn and Facebook play a major role in getting one installed into a senior management post. On the average, recruitment via online networks happens around 40 percent of the time in Germany and about 27 percent in the US. And more likely than not, the hires are for managerial roles which pay some $40 an hour or around $80,000 annually. The trend spells out the indispensable status of social media networks and how presenting yourself properly online makes a great deal of a difference between a minimum-paying job and a key management post. As it appears, with the right connections and a stellar profile, you could be well on your way to becoming a supervisor in less time than going from company to company dropping off your printed resume. The question is: is this really a good thing? The researchers don't think so. "Ultimately, this suggests that US economic institutions offer greater rewards to sponsorship and nepotism than what we see elsewhere, which could help to explain why inequality is so extreme here," said Steve McDonald, associate professor of sociology at NC State and lead author of the report. The report appeared in the latest issue of academic journal Social Forces.