Originally found at HuffPost, by Monica Torres.

Before I apply for a job at a new company, I always make a point to reach out to women or other acquaintances who work there for a vibe check.

My questions usually boil down to “Do people like me have a track record of succeeding at this company? Is time off respected? Is this boss known for championing people who look like me?”

The honest answers I have received have saved me from managers and co-workers I am relieved to not work with and opportunities that would not suit my needs. A new study published by the journal Academy of Management Discoveries gives my job hunting strategy a name: It’s called “scouting,” and it’s extra emotional labor that women in particular are known to undertake before officially applying for jobs.

For their study, researchers Elena Obukhova of McGill University and Adam M. Kleinbaum of Dartmouth College observed how MBA students used their school’s alumni database when networking for jobs. They found that female students reached out to at least as many men and to significantly more women alumni than their male classmates.

Continue reading the original article at HuffPost.

Read the original research in Academy of Management Discoveries.

Learn more about the AOM Scholars and explore their work:

• Elena Obukhova, McGill University
  
• Adam M. Kleinbaum, Dartmouth College