How Important Is Career Networking?

At the outset, let's accept that there is no such thingcontention is not whether or not that person got a
as an ideal candidate, and there is no employer whoraise or a promotion. That worker was traveling to
is ideal for everyone. Still, every time we seeher job a distance of 12 miles every day for the last
someone change his or her career or make antwelve years and she was beginning to develop
upward move, we say or at least think that he/shefrustrations about the employers and her job.
is brilliant and was the ideal candidate for the positionHowever, she could not afford to just quit. She
and that the company is lucky to have hired him orwatched the classifieds of local newspapers and
her.lodged her resumes with dozens of recruiters. She
But did the candidate really get lucky, or were theyknew there were some companies closer to home,
just smart?but she had been told that there were no vacancies
Is Career Networking So Important?that matched her job profile.
Don't have an iota of doubt about this in your mind:On a Sunday Mass at the local Church she bumped
networking plays an important role in career moves.into her childhood friend. Sometime after a friendly
Despite having reasonably strong work experienceexchange, the conversation tuned to her job
and skills, lacking in networking abilities could jettisonsituation. It turned out that her friend was working in
your chances in finding a good job. Your networkingone of those companies and she knew of one
contacts can help you beat the competition and openvacancy where she could fit in. What followed next is
the door to mostly unadvertised job openingsnot of importance but this lady got a job at the
through referrals. That the 'Wall Street Journal'company where she wanted to work.
claimed a couple of years ago that '94% ofIn this day and age, savvy career networking is a
successful job seekers claimed that networking hadmust. By growing your network, you will have not
made all the difference for them' should go on toonly expanded your circle of friends but also work
prove the point.acquaintances who may be able to help you open
Let's take a hypothetical case of a person in hernew doors when you finally decide to change jobs or
middle age attempting a career change. The point ofcareers.