Getting Hired - Who you know is important!

Who you know can get you hired or fired:

By JG Côté

One of the absolute best employment resources anyone can use is a friend or personal acquaintance.  We have all heard the saying “it’s who you know” and this is very relevant in the competitive world of job and career searching.  I would not even be able to count the number people I know that have received jobs only because of someone they knew.  If you know someone or have a friend that is connected to an organization that you are interested in working for, contact them and enquire about getting a position.  Sometimes even a low ranking employee can give you vital inside information about an employer.  Even a slight mention of your name by a friend to their boss could be enough to distinguish you from the rest of the pack.  It is rare that a friend can get you a job straight up without you having to actually work for it, however what they can do is give you an edge over the other candidates when it comes time to hire.  Employers often feel more secure about hiring someone if they know someone else personally that will vouch for them.

If you are one of the lucky few that know one of the people doing the actual hiring or a high ranking employee, I highly suggest you get in touch with them.  The worst thing they can do is tell you they cannot help, but amazingly most of the time they will be able to help you to some extent.