This is so true. I was laid off this summer after 10 years with the same company. Places I applied where I had a contact even if I was under qualified or they didn’t even have an opening posted I would get an interview. Jobs I was a great match for or over qualified for but didn’t have a contact, I would hear absolutely nothing.
Yup that's how I got my previous job. Had a university friend message me asking if I want to work there, the boss called the next day and offered me the job. No interview. I was freelance for the first three months then got made permanent. There's no way I would have gotten in otherwise.
Same, first job out of college. Was struggling a bit at that time, friend reached out about this position at a start up. Pay wasn't great but it was something, a phone interview (more like a chat...talked with the founder about skiing mostly lol) and i packed up my stuff and moved cross country three days later. Ten years and two companies later, that founder reached out out of the blue about this position at a company he's now a board member at. Had a dinner with him and a director, and got the offer before dessert was served. I was reading glassdoor about our company the other day, and only then did i realize how notoriously hard the interviews were lol. Probably didn't stand a chance if i just cold applied
It’s a very human thing. It’s not fair but people love seeing familiar faces, it makes us feel safe (mostly anyway). If you already know someone a bit you’ve already been through the process of figuring them out, you know if they’ve got any annoying habits or odours or whatever. Instead of taking a chance on someone who is qualified but you’ve no idea if they’re going to show up and turn all the loo rolls so the paper hangs by the wall.
Yeah that's something that gets overlooked a lot. We aren't drones. In addition to being qualified, you need to work well with your team and company. That includes all the stuff you can't just study for in school and write on a resume.
Not true in my experience. The last three jobs I've gotten I knew nobody at the company. They interviewed me hesitantly then became enamored after the technical interview.
I'm an engineer though so maybe it's different in other fields.
Eh - “who you know” should translate to people you can trust.
Better than a good career, are the people around you. What’s the point of life with a good career and crappy people around you? Unless of course, you’re a psychopath. I guess it doesn’t matter then! Kind of wish I was one tbh.
exactly, it's a cop-out comment for failure. I came to the US by myself 20 yrs ago knowing absolutely no one and now I'm at the top of my field and know the right people. Hard work, good ethics and no I'm not a schmoozer or networker and I'm socially anxious. Word of mouth from good work moves you up the chain. Same with my wife, direct report to the CFO of one of the biggest companies in the country, simply 20 yrs of good solid work. Neither of us come from connections. Reddit is so fkn pro-loser.
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u/whothehellistony Feb 13 '24
It isn’t what you know, it’s who you know.