On LinkedIn, I've viewed posts about being out of work and then using their network and they found a job.

15 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 18,2025 at 7:26PM UTC

   I'll be honest with you: I've been working for 20 years and in director-level roles for the last 10, and I have never gotten a job through a network referral without first applying. I have a relatively large professional network and many people who have served as references for new roles, but the closest I ever came to getting a job through a network was making my way. first-round interview. I have helped at least two people get jobs at an organization I worked for, but it's yet to go the other way for me.

2. AnonymousFebruary 18,2025 at 9:15PM UTC

   Thank you for sharing your story. I've applied for so many roles and don't hear anything back. Reading that you need to know someone to a find a job has been disheartening as I don't have a network here.

   I moved to a new area after being laid off from my last job. I don't have the connections but have been trying to build them without any luck. Hearing your story, I'll keep trying the traditional path!

3. AnonymousFebruary 19,2025 at 12:28AM UTC

   if I may offer a suggestion. Try putting your resume into ChatGPT and ask it what roles you would be a good fit for. Sometimes we need to pivot to find the right match. Similarly, I would plug in job descriptions for roles you’re interested in and then your resume and ask if you’re a good fit. It will tell you where your experience match and what experiences are missing.

4. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 19,2025 at 2:39AM UTC

   As with most things jobsearch, it depends. Try and then try again, try something different - and keep trying. I can tell you, from personal experience, that applying works.

   A recommendation without knowing the person is worthless to me. When I ask the referrer, tell me about this person, where did you work together, in what capacity, etc - if the answer is "I don't actually know them", that's not going to help the jobseeker.

   Networking is great. Referrals are awesome. But applying absolutely works too.

   The vast majority of the positions I've filled in the last 3 1/2 yrs have been from people who either applied or who I sourced.

   A small percentage were from networking or referrals. Every company had a referral bonus program in place and I also ask for referrals. The number of referrals that were hires throughout a 20+ year recruiting career is also very small.

   If companies were able to fill the majority of their positions by networking, they would not need to employ the teams of recruiters and sourcers and outside agencies who spend all day, every day working to fill their positions.

   Please send me a message - I'd like to connect with you.

5. AnonymousFebruary 19,2025 at 1:39PM UTC

   Thank you for sharing this, Joan. I have also heard the same advice as the poster about networking instead of needing work, that is to say, that professional connections are the way that most people land their jobs and that job postings are a waste of time. Based on your experience as a recruiter, why do you think this advice is so common and so widespread?

6. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 19,2025 at 11:48PM UTC

   Couple of reasons come to mind - first off, many jobseekers tell themselves that's the reason they didn't get the job to make themselves feel better. LIke the deck is stacked against me because I didn't know anyone at that company so that's why I didn't get the job.

   That is almost always a BS reason. Even when I have received referrals, the vast majority of them have never been hired. Because most people - if they're referring their friends, relatives, neighbors, even ex-coworkers - don't really know the exact details of a person's job or experience. They typically refer people because they have a personal relationship with the jobseeker and/or want to do them a favor - not because they're an actual good fit for the position.

   Another potential reason is that there is an entire industry that has grown up around trying to separate jobseekers from whatever money they have left. These dimfluencers can't really charge people for giving "apply, it works" as advice, can they? So they have to come up with something to fill up time in their secret sauce coaching courses.

   Should you network? Yes, as much as you can. Should you ask for referrals from someone who could provide one? Yes, of course. But applying absolutely works. I look at every profile that applies to my open requisitions. Recruiters are under enormous pressure to get our open positions filled - we LOVE qualified applicants. Unfortunately, approximately 90% of the people who apply to my open reqs are not a fit. On some positions, it's even higher.

   Applying to jobs is going after low hanging fruit - actual open positions that companies are actually looking to fill.

   I saw one dimfluencer on LinkedIn who was actually telling jobseekers - many of them OUT OF WORK - to spend 80% of their time networking and to stop applying to jobs. Why in the world would they would encourage jobseekers to spend almost all their time networking for jobs that don't exist and may never exist instead of applying to jobs companies are actually trying to fill, I can't wrap my head around. I don't know how these people sleep at night.

   Direct applicants are my number one source of hires - not just in the last few years but over a 20 plus year recruiting career. Many recruiters will tell you the exact same thing - direct applications are their number one source of hires.

7. AnonymousFebruary 20,2025 at 5:37PM UTC

   Joan, thank you so much for your insight and thoughtful response. It's nice to know that I haven't been a chump for going through the front door (postings) all of these years.

8. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistFebruary 22,2025 at 2:49AM UTC

   You absolutely have not been a chump for applying.

9. Danielle EvansFebruary 19,2025 at 3:16AM UTC

   Try yelp housekeeping jobs I applied at a bunch of retail stores. A couple of temps.

10. AnonymousFebruary 19,2025 at 4:37PM UTC

    OP: Thank you all and I appreciated your advice. You've provided additional motivation to keep pushing and developing new avenues.

    Joan, I'll send you a separate message and look forward to connecting.

11. AnonymousFebruary 20,2025 at 3:25PM UTC

    I've been working between a VP and Sr Director level for the past decade. While I have wonderful connections, I have never in my working life gotten a job thru a referral. I apply directly and reach out to the hiring manager or recruiter. I also target specific companies and join the talent community so they have my resume and then reach out to whomever leads the division I want to work for. I'm with you. I'm happy for those whose connections got them a job, but so far it has never worked that way for me.

12. AnonymousFebruary 21,2025 at 3:27PM UTC

    so you can totally break through without your network or posting if you have a good resume that you tailor to the post you are applying for. I have applied to a few jobs over the last few months that I am very qualified for and received calls to interview from every single one because I made sure my resume reflected my experience as well as the skills the employer was looking for. Chin up you can do this!

13. AnonymousFebruary 23,2025 at 2:23PM UTC

    Thank you for writing this post. I've never found networking useful (while I've had some success in actually getting the job, some of these experiences were genuinely awful, although I don't blame my contacts since they didn't work there, etc.).

    I think for LinkedIn it really depends on your field and your connections. Some fields don't really use LinkedIn for networking and if you don't have the "right" connections I think it can be really hard.

14. Liz MilneFebruary 24,2025 at 2:10PM UTC

    Best thing I've found is to use your network to see what's out there, but make a list of companies that look like a good fit for your qualifications and needs, and then check out their websites for open vacancies, or email/ phone/ write directly to their hiring department indicating why you'd be a good fit and what sort of work you'd bring to the table. I think with so much automated dross hammering recruitment sites (including LinkedIn) you have to tailor your approach to prove you're a genuine candidate these days...

15. ChrishoggFebruary 24,2025 at 2:26PM UTC

    As you know, there is no one-way, always-works-every-time-way to find employment ... however, the "higher up the ladder" one is, the more important networking and informational interviewing becomes.

    Also, there is a very true proverb: Ask for advice and guidance, get that and get a job; ask for a job, get neither.

    The kiss of death in networking is to approach people with, "I'm looking for a job, are you hiring or do you know anyone who is?" and "I see that your organization is hiring, can you refer or recommend me?"

    I recommend you read these books, in the order shown:

    a) The 20-Minute Networking Meeting - Professional Edition, by Perez and Ballinger

    b) The Job Closer, by Dalton

    c) The 2-Hour Job Search (Second Edition), by Dalton

    Finally, you ask, "If you don't have an engaged network, what is the best way to job search?" My answer is to build an engaged network.