Networking: Don’t Just Rely on the Stats

There’s a reason the adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” exists…because it’s absolutely true!  To further reinforce this adage, in the movie “Jerry Maguire”, Dicky Fox (Jerry Maguire’s boss) states, “This business is all about personal relationships!”

The stats bear out these quotes when it comes to a job search.  “Today, some estimates suggest that up to 70% of all jobs are not published on publicly available job search sites, and research has long shown that anywhere from half to upwards of 80% of jobs are filled through networking.”   CNBC, 12/27/19

At Crossroads Career, we heavily emphasize how to network in our Step #5 methodology.  Yet while the evidence for years has overwhelmingly pointed to networking as the best strategy in job seeking, we find that most people are much more comfortable simply filling out applications online and hoping for an employer to ask them for an interview.

I once heard a colleague of mine refer to networking like flossing your teeth.  You may not like it, but no one’s going to do it for you!   

Gerry Crispin, in a 2017 CareerPivot blog shared, “The numbers do not lie. If you apply and an employee referred you for the position, 50% chance of getting an interview and you have a 20% chance of getting hired.  If you do not have an employee referral, you have a 3% chance of getting an interview and only 1.2% chance of getting hired.”

So, the stats should now tell you to feel compelled to “network like your life depends on it!”   Because it does!  🙂

BUT we don’t want to just leave you with some cold, hard stats.  We want to be of help and support to you, and we’ve found that Scripture gives us many insights.  We believe that the BEST individual to have a personal relationship with is Jesus Christ. He stands ready and willing to provide help through His word and prayer.  

Proverbs 16:9 states, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”  Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”   

If you would like help in beginning a relationship with Christ, please drop us a note at support@crossroadscareer.org, – – we’d love to introduce you to Him!    Blessings!  

Dave Sparkman currently serves as the volunteer Crossroads Career board chair and local ministry leader. He is also the founder and managing director of Spark Your Culture, a corporate culture consulting firm. Prior to that he worked at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune #5 public company, serving in the role of Chief Culture Officer. His unemployment experience came from the implosion of Arthur Andersen, where he served as the West Region Managing Partner, People.