Networking and personal connections have gotten me interviews for every job I have had, but I have always gotten the jobs on my own by being qualified and interviewing well.

I think networking helps if it is purposeful and there is follow-up. If you meet with someone once for an "info interview" and apply for something, I don't see how it can help. If you meet with them once, maybe ask to be referred to another colleague, later see a position you want - apply and ask if they'd be able to forward it along, then you can possibly get into a "short-list" of candidates. So instead of being one of the 1000 resumes sent to HR, you'd be in a pile of 20 on someone's desk, which ups the chances of getting an interview. All of this is premised on you being qualified in the first place. And how much/little someone will advocate for you, depends on how well they know you and your work. I found former colleagues or connections of my colleagues to be the best; I haven't found people who I met once at a conference and then connected to on Linkedin to be that useful though sometimes they'll still push your resume along.

Anonymous wrote:I've gotten all my jobs via networking, last one in 2003. However, given the state of the economy, I don't think it would work now. It is realllllly gloomy out there! One won't know it until they start looking.

Signed..an IT professional for the last 28 years.

What kind of IT are you in? My IT friends have to turn off their phones during the day because recruiters are calling them multiple times a day. This is the DC area.

Anonymous wrote:It seems like everybody who posts asking for advice on how to get a job is advised to network, network, network. I have been on the hiring committee for my office for years, and I can't recall a situation where networking helped somebody get a job. People are always asking us to look at their neighbor or their cousin or whoever, but we just interview and hire the most qualified candidates. In the same vein, I am constantly getting calls from acquaintances about what I can do to help them get a job in my office, but if I don't know their work (and how would I unless it's a former colleague?), I'm not going to vouch for them. Do people really get jobs through people they met at some conference or cocktail party?

I network with people I work on committees with and former colleagues. Got my current job from a former, now current, boss who liked my work the first time around

Anonymous wrote:I have a job with a really sought-after employer. Every single time we post a job opening, somebody I barely know or, in some cases, don't know at all, contacts me about it. If it were a former colleague whose work I know and respect, I'm happy to put in a good word to get the resume to the top of the pile. If it's a person I went to college with 100 years ago or worse, a friend of a friend who found me through LinkedIn, calling me is not going to help. In short, there is a big difference between networking by keeping in touch with former colleagues and networking by trying to chat up anybody you can find who has a job you want.

I actually don't mind doing what I can to help. I had a recent law grad randomly email me at my lawfirm inquiring about a job. Our connection was that he was a fellow alum from my huge state school undergrad who graduated 10 years after me. So otherwise, no connection at all. But I liked his initiative. I passed his resume onto some other attorneys and he did get a temp project out of it. Not a huge deal but at least it got his foot in the door and something to put on his resume. I think most people want to help. It's really rough out there and networking is what it is... you don't have to pretent to be friends.

But so yes, networking works. I got my current job because my bosses knew each other. I still had to interview and not be a moron but it turned out really well.

I have a job with a really sought-after employer. Every single time we post a job opening, somebody I barely know or, in some cases, don't know at all, contacts me about it. If it were a former colleague whose work I know and respect, I'm happy to put in a good word to get the resume to the top of the pile. If it's a person I went to college with 100 years ago or worse, a friend of a friend who found me through LinkedIn, calling me is not going to help. In short, there is a big difference between networking by keeping in touch with former colleagues and networking by trying to chat up anybody you can find who has a job you want.

I've never gotten a job through networking. I wonder if I, as well as others in the same boat, simply don't know the right people.

Pretty much all of my jobs have been gotten through networking of some sort. Before I had much experience under my belt, I got two jobs through older siblings that worked at large corporations (both jobs were advertised, but the fact that my siblings were tight with the hiring managers got me in for an interview). Everything since then has been through professional contacts - predominantly people outside my own organization who I worked with in some capacity, and who thought highly enough of me to get in touch when opportunities arose. Most of those are things I did not follow up on, but the lead was there.

I got my current, and longest lasting, job by responding to a position announcement - but the fact that my resume referenced several people the hiring managers knew well and respected (e.g. my grad adviser) certainly helped.

Yes, every permanent full-time job I have ever received except 1 was the result of an impressive resume, good interviewing skills, AND a personal relationship that helped my resume rise to the top in the first place. I earned the jobs but wouldn't necessarily have gotten a look without the connection, simply b/c the competition in my field is high and every job opening gets hordes of applicants.

Never worked for me or my friends

I think the key here is that networking opens doors, but you still have to be qualified and a good fit for the position.

Given how many applicants there are for each available job, though, the networking can help propel you into a smaller pool of candidates IF you are qualified (say, from 200 resumes, into 10 that are actually interviewed).

I think if you're qualified networking can definitely make a difference. I got a government position by networking. But, actually it only helped me find the position. If I hadnt have been qualified, I would not have been selected to interview.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I refer friends constantly. Last year, I hired 14 people from my personal contacts.

For what types of positions? I'm a lawyer and would never hire someone based on a personal relationship. Maybe a previous work relationship, but not social.

All sorts. Mostly finance. They don't report to me. I get them the interview, they have to get past it. The interviews are highly analytical. Maybe 1 in 10 make it. I have no problem giving a friend a leg up to try their hands at it. They make it - they did so on their own merits. I only open the door.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on what kinds of jobs you're hiring for. For sales or marketing, maybe chatting somebody up at an industry event will get you somewhere. In my office, everybody we hire has rockstar credentials. No amount of schmoozing is going to get you in the door if you don't have them.

But how does that rockstar apply for the position in the first place? They have to find out about it from someone...

Every position for which we hire is posted on our website. Anybody with an Internet connection can find it. Seriously, we are interested in the best quality, not who you know.

I've gotten all my jobs via networking, last one in 2003. However, given the state of the economy, I don't think it would work now. It is realllllly gloomy out there! One won't know it until they start looking.

Signed..an IT professional for the last 28 years.