Job Hunting Still Comes Down to Who You Know

Job Hunting Still Comes Down to Who You Know:

Unsurprisingly, more than one-quarter (28 percent) of workers and one-third (33 percent) of managers surveyed had secured their jobs through networking. Among workers who earned $75,000 to $100,000 per year, an even higher amount, two-fifths (39 percent), had found their current job through networking.

Supporting the old adage that who you know often determines where you go, nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of managers said their company looked internally for job candidates before considering applicants from the outside, according to a survey released by Hudson, a staffing company, on Feb. 21.

Yet, the survey makes it clear that this is far more than nepotism at play. Managers considered current employees as the best source of qualified talent, followed by employee and personal references.

Forty percent of managers said that internal promotions were the best way to fill an opening, 24 percent felt that employee referrals were the best, and 20 percent preferred personal recommendations.

"E-mail and the Internet make replying to an online job posting easier than ever, but in this situation, easy does not necessarily mean effective."

Unsurprisingly, more than one-quarter (28 percent) of workers and one-third (33 percent) of managers surveyed had secured their jobs through networking. Among workers who earned $75,000 to $100,000 per year, an even higher amount, two-fifths (39 percent), had found their current job through networking.

"E-mail and the Internet make replying to an online job posting easier than ever, but in this situation, easy does not necessarily mean effective," said Steve Wolfe, senior vice president, Hudson North America. "Consequently, developing and maintaining a strong network of professional as well as personal contacts can mean the difference between landing an interview and getting lost in the crowd."