How to Be Awesome at Your Job

1181: Finding the Hidden Networks that Multiply Opportunities with Ethel Mickey

September 17, 2026·37 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Ethel Mickey reveals how the everyday relationships we foster, both in and out of work, shape who gets ahead.— YOU’LL LEARN — 1) Why networking by the books leads to nowhere 2) Why certain “time-wasting” interactions are actually critical 3) The right and wrong ways to build visibility Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1181 for the full transcript! — ABOUT ETHEL — Ethel Mickey is a sociologist who studies why inequality persists in workplaces that claim to fix it. She is an assistant professor at California State University, San Bernardino and a faculty affiliate at Stanford’s VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab. Her research—and her book Networking to Nowhere—reveals how everyday workplace relationships quietly shape who gets ahead in tech.• Book: Networking to Nowhere• Website: EthelMickey.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Study: "The Strength of Weak Ties" by Mark Granovetter• Book: Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs by Lauren Rivera— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Shopify. Sign up for your free trial at Shopify.com/awesomepod• Vinted. Download the Vinted app for free to start selling with no seller fees!• Fitnexa. Get $10 off the SomniPods3 with the link and code AWESOMESee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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