"It's not what you know . . ."

[NoWomanNoCry]

I'm interested in finding out how true or unture the "It's not what you know, but who you know" adage is. I know that all my college friends that now have jobs have them because they knew someone in the company etc. I feel confident enough in myself and abilities that I could get a job without a "connection", but sometimes I'm unsure. I'd be curious to find out how many of you with jobs got them the old-fashioned way (sending out resumes and cover letters by the tons) and how many had a connection or knew someone in the company. Your stories and thoughts are all appreciated!

[pisces2473]

I got my job the old fashioned way. *sigh*

[MollyMe]

I always liked "It's not who you know, it's who knows you."

I got my internship meeting my future boss at a dinner at my parents' church.
I got my fulltime job from an announcement from my college at school and applied with my resume.

[biodork]

I got my fellowship through a friend's sister-in-law's friend/co-worker who had room in her lab. Otherwise I DOUBT I would have gotten an NIH fellowship on my own. (And just about everyone else in her lab got their job through knowing someone)

[blueyes]

I got both my internships on my own.

My father was my "in" to my current job; he does not work for my consulting firm, but his company is a client of mine and he has worked with our regional VP in the past. It also helps that my dad is well-known in the (regional) industry: he's Air Manager for the Americas for his company. Yes. As in North, Central, and South America.

It can be a bit frustrating/disconcerting/uncomfortable b/c my office manager constantly grills me for information on my dad, which I supply (only in bits and pieces) under durress. It also makes my manager look incredibly dumb, since he constantly asks for information that I have previously supplied to him (i.e. - contact information, whether or not my dad likes baseball, etc.).

Having an "in" is good - but it might be more pleasant if the "in" isn't your dad. :frustrate

[tina1979]

My last job I got through my Dad knowing someone who needed help. The job I have now I got through my friend/roommate.

[midtwenty]

Knowing people isn't vital, but it makes things a lot easier, IMO. I've gotten lots of jobs because of who I knew. If there were no truth to the adage, people wouldn't be so crazy about networking.

[mishl982]

Yea, that's true for me. I got my current job through a friend of one of my sorority sisters. And another few job interviews around that time were from people my roommate works with.

[lilyflower]

Hmm, it didn't quite work that way for me. I got my temp job partially because of who I knew (vaguely) but also because I could run an ELISA and had a bio background (and there weren't a lot of people in the area I lived in at the time that could do that). My current job actually completely happened the traditional way. I've gotten interviews because of networking but I've yet to get a job mainly because of networking.

[midtwenty]

Just proves there's more than one way to skin a cat. :)

[Angyl]

Well, I had already sent my clips and resume to this paper, but they were lost in a pile until my friend told me there was an opening and I called to inquire about it. So more or less I got this job through knowing somebody, but that media is like that.

[Bugsey34]

I got this job because the previous person in this position graduated from my college, so they recruited through my college when they left to find a replacement.

They wanted someone with language skills and my college specialized in that, so it wasn't just based off of alma mater loyalty, but it's a fairly small school so it makes for good networking.

If I had stayed in Boston around my family I definitely would have got a job through networking, because I have a big family that knows everyone.

[NoWomanNoCry]

One of my biggest problems is that I don't have that many connections - which makes it very hard to network. I got my internship on my own, that was easy. It's finding a job that's hard! I try to network as much as possible, for example I'm volunteering at this fundraising event that's being put on by the non-profit where I used to intern. I'm hoping to meet a lot of people there.

[GetMeOuttaDC]

:redface: The job I have now represents the only time I have gotten a job "the old fashioned way". every thing else, I can thank my sorority sisters and my BF for. Problem is, when I've quit, I've felt bad, like I was throwing a favor back in their face. :(

[delizabeth17]

It's been two years out of college (seems like it was yesterday) and I'm on my third job. Welcome to the real world eh? I have to say that every job I've landed is from someone I knew to direct me or refer me to the position. I've known people from internships, kept in touch, etc.

I've also dealt with unemployment several times in between all my jobs and I have found that I do get calls from companies that I blindly send out my application to. But those jobs are ones that are low on my "want this job" list. You can find better options through people you know and they can put in a good word.

I find it important to keep in touch with people, every one you mean in your desired field because you never know when you'll need some help. We've learned a lot of it through the journalism field and entertainment, it's all about who you know.

[k.monster]

My job history is split - two jobs were people that I knew through other people, and two jobs were random send in resume/cover letter deals. I think it is strange that my two best jobs were the resume/cover letter ones.

[Skyblade]

I got my job through monster.com. However, I think part of the reason why I got my job is that I used to work part time for a prominent PR firm in town and they were impressed that I knew a lot of ppl in the PR biz.

[Mad Dawg]

Every job I've had since 1998, I knew someone who knew someone. Prior to that I got jobs by cold-calling. I've never gotten anything more than a headhunter asking me if they can put me in their mass-mailer (i.e. spam) from ComputerJobs, HotJobs, Monster or any of those folks. I find those sites to be completely worthless. The only reputable companies I've ever seen post there do it as sort of a CYA maneuver. The job is also posted on their corporate site, and they are far more interested in candidates who went specifically to them.

[corrie3000]

It's almost always easier to get in the door when you know someone, but what happens when you get in the door is more about the WHAT than the WHO. I've gotten jobs both by knowing someone and by just randomly applying. I say network like crazy but don't rely on it completely.

[Angyl]

So I have a semi-related question.

If I know I'm going to be looking within the next year or two for a job, how to I keep in touch with people? I mean the guy at the Sacramento Bee might not remember me in two years, but what do I say to him right now? What's the best way to keep in touch with someone, but not risk your job?

[sfwb]

I got my first internship through bonding with someone at a career-fair thing. With that, I have gotten all my 5 jobs...at the same company.

I'm starting anew now. In the last month, I've submitted 60+ resumes cold and got two interviews. I think what promted the bites were really strong, different cover letters. I say something strange or personal to grab their attention. I'm in a second interview for the second bite, wish me luck!