Women Benefit More From Social Networks Than Men

Interesting research out of the University of Oregon found that women benefit more from social networks than men as it relates to labour and incomes. Women can make up to 68% more simply by being referred by a family member, compared to not having any connections to an employer.

"Personal networks and the incomes of men and women in the United States: Do personal networks provide higher returns for men or women?" by Michael Aguilera, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Oregon, was published in the September edition of Research in Social Stratification and Mobility.

The National Post's article on August 25 notes that his findings show "women who found their current job through a close relative like a parent or sibling earned $32,691 a year on average, researchers at the University of Oregon found, while those who landed a job through a close friend earned $28,546. Those with no previous connection to their employer pulled in just $19,415 annually. Men, meanwhile, didn't enjoy any salary benefits from their personal grapevine."

This is powerful information for women and great motivation for women to let family and friends know when you're looking for a new job.

What I wonder is why men don't benefit as much as women. Are they already perceived to be valuable candidates without the referral? Is there a bias against women vs. men in their productivity ? Are organizations simply not discounting men, compared to women, so the salary is simply the salary for men?