I used to believe in the idea of six degrees of separation but now I think it’s more like three. I keep tripping over people who are connected to people I know.
I guess in my field it’s more common to find connections. Let’s face it. I phone strangers for a living. I rarely work with the same people twice and if I do my job well, more people get pulled into the spinning wheel of connections.
There are some pretty big lessons here.
You really should try to be nice to everyone because you never want to find out that you just bad mouthed your neighbour to his best friend.
It would also be bad if you were very critical about a former boss only to find out that she just got hired where you just interviewed.
And here’s a good one: sarcasm does not work on a screen. You can use it in a phone call, video, podcast or anything else where the recipient can see your face. If they can’t see your eyes, they won’t get the joke. Trust me. This one can be messy.
So remember, that as we get older, the world gets smaller. You never know when you will find yourself talking to a future boss/reference/in-law. Be nice to everyone. If you can’t be nice, then at least be respectful and polite. It will pay off in the end and if it hasn’t paid off, then it’s not the end.
Recruiter's Couch 