Granovetter Was Right

Abstract

Using a longitudinal research design, the authors investigate the impact of the relative growth or decline of a job seeker’s predisplaced industry on the use of personal contacts in the job search process. They also examine the effect of a job seeker’s network on important job search outcomes, including occupational status and salary following reemployment. Results reveal the subsequent emergence of distinct networking strategies and outcomes dependent on industry growth. Job seekers displaced fromgrowing industries tend to focus their search on the inclusion of weak ties. Their counterparts, displaced fromdeclining industries, indicate the tendency to connect with strong ties. However, job seekers in declining industries who made the more difficult connections with weakly tied contacts reaped important benefits in terms of salary following reemployment. The theoretical and practical implications for conducting a job search in a contemporary environment are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.