…it’s Who you Know

As cliché as it may sound, I become more convinced each day that – in order to land a job in this industry, in this market, in this economy – it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

In the past 5 business days I have learned of two separate women who were out of the corporate world for 3+ years – raising children, selling Real Estate, etc. – who were able to quickly land assignments (one as a Project Manager, one as a Business Analyst) by connecting with former managers and co-workers who knew of their previous successes.

In my own job I have noted multiple instances over the summer where highly sought after, well paying opportunities went to consultants who were directly sourced by the hiring managers – who had worked with these consultants on previous assignments.

From my perspective as a recruiter who slogs daily to place just one of the throngs of consultants applying for these opportunities, it is very important that this point be acknowledged. In the US today, people are doing what they can to help their friends.

So, reach out to your old managers and co-workers. Beef up your LinkedIn connections. Join groups. Friend people on Facebook. Tap into your work connections, your college connections, your church connections, your gym connections, your kid's school connections, your bowling league connections, whatever!

Get the word out that you’re looking for a job. Put out a new posting about your job search every day. And don’t be afraid to ask people for help. From my perspective, they're giving it.