It's not about what you know, but who you know

It has become extremely evident that finding a job in today's economy is somewhat reliant on people you know. When I first started college, I thought that networking was cheating--it was as if I wasn't smart enough or qualified enough to get a job or internship on my own. But what I failed to realize is that networking serves as a step up and an endorsement. To have someone call on your behalf isn't cheating the system, it's playing the system. Today, simply submitting a resume and cover letter isn't going to cut it. It isn't about what you know anymore, but rather who you know. So break out the iCal or the Outlook and start downloading V-cards. Trust me, you are going to want as many as possible.

I have a hard time writing about myself on this blog, but I feel the only way to drive this point home is to in fact, write about my own experiences networking. My dad, in all of his professional glory, has racked up a substantial number of business friends and associates. With his help (and first round of e-mails) many of his friends offered to speak to me on the phone and send out my resume. I expected the worst--many places weren't looking to hire someone just out of college or there weren't any openings to begin with. But the fact that my name and resume were circulating was a giant leap in the right direction.

My dad always tells me that people who are successful in their jobs probably got help along the way and many of those people are willing to pay it forward. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, nor is it an indicator that you are incapable of finding a job on your own. It just means that you are exhausting all possible options and nothing bad can come of reaching out. Take it from me---I was the queen of "I am doing this on my own". So I applied for an internship, told my Dad (who told his business associate who incidentally worked for this person) and less than 24 hours later, I was offered an internship. Now--I am aware that most people have to go through rounds of interviews, and I just got lucky. But instead of being excited, I felt guilty, like they hired me because they felt obligated. I soon realized that there was no obligation to hire me, that I landed the internship on my own merit, but her phone call only made sure that my resume was given a deeper and better look.

The moral of the story is not to be afraid to reach out. Contacting someone, even if just for an informational interview, is more proactive and sometimes more effective than blindly sending applications. Networking is an effective job search tool and it should be utilized, just like a finely crafted resume and cover letter.

Don't be afraid to cast your line---chances are, something will bite.