How does "networking" get a person a job?

[Lipitor11]

Does networking automatically get a person a job? I mean, so for example if I asked my friend to get me a job as a software engineer at the company where he works, they would automatically hire me, even though I don't have a degree or any experience in computers? Even though the job description says, one of the requirements is knowledge of computers? People say that you have to network to get a job, but doesn't that only apply to what skills and experience you have? Do the hiring people just cut through the red tape and hire them with no experience and not bother interviewing them?

[CarrieT]

I mean, so for example if I asked my friend to get me a job as a software engineer at the company where he works, they would automatically hire me, even though I don't have a degree or any experience in computers?

Huh? I have never heard of anyone automatically getting hired in that manner...

 

People say that you have to network to get a job, but doesn't that only apply to what skills and experience you have?

Of course it does. The networking is getting the word out amongst friends and friends-of-friends who might have an inside track to a job before it gets advertised.

 

Do the hiring people just cut through the red tape and hire them with no experience and not bother interviewing them?

No. Where did you get this idea?

[newmoon]

networking can mean different things. for example, i got my current position because a friend told me it was coming open (before it was posted), and then she told me (basically) what the interview questions would be. that helped me get the job. when you know people in your field networking helps get your foot in the door, it doesn't always result in a job though. the key is to know people who have the job you want, make friends with as many as you can in that field, and keep in touch with them so that you can ask questions, ask for favors, etc.

[pyramid]

Having a "in" might land you an interview, but it won't get you the job. For example, my company was hiring interns this summer, and I happened to meet a student who was a senior in the field that we preferred. I mentioned the internship, he sent me his resume, I forwarded it to the hiring managers, followed up on his behalf - and he wowed them in the interview and was hired. I had only met the guy once and was not able to vouch for his skills, but if we hasn't met he would have never had the opportunity.

[Leigh 87]

I have gotten jobs through being nice to people.

 

I simply went into a department I wanted to work at and introduced myself as an avid shopper of the brand. Asking hi, how are you? Each time I walked by. Presented myself in a favourable light.

 

Hiring often comes down to gut feelings. Many applicants that attend an interview for the same position can all DO the job in question! The person who is the most well liked and who elicits the best "feeling" from the interviewer, gets the job!

 

Networking comes down to the basic fundamentals of hiring: if you know and trust a person and have a "good enough feeling" about them, why not hire them, instead of conducting many interviews?

 

Networking works but can also backfire. A guy who was friendly with a bank manager got the job, only to be fired shortly after due to sexually harassing a team member! The poor manager would have been made to regret his decision of picking this person within his "network" of contacts........

 

That manager still networks; he rubs shoulders with/attends optional conferences with the elite banking crowd. He doesn't, however, personally hire friends or people he networks with.....He doesn't want to run the risk of misjudging someone again and looking silly over it.

[Leigh 87]

Re hash: thousands of applicants have the required skills.

 

If you know a person who is charming and would get along well with the team, why not forward their resume to the HR recruiter/recruiters/boss/hiring manager?

 

Come on now, real businesses who are serious about performing and making a profit are not daft enough to put people forward based on their "social skills" alone:lmao:

 

Many people have a high degree of technical skills and yet cannot find work. This is a constant in any economy, people will be jobless yet highly skilled.

 

The nice person who gets along well with people and is well liked, will get ahead by getting their resume seen by more hiring managers, based on the people this candidate personally knows of.

 

Being pleasant to people and presenting yourself well pays off, I have seen it first hand and personally gotten job interviews immediately awarded to me based on "knowing" people.

[carhill]

How does "networking" get a person a job?

 

It's not what you know, it's who you know.

 

Great example.... one of my exW's clients was married to a guy who was a mechanic and was looking for expand his horizons. The lady was talking to my exW while getting her hair done (exW is a stylist) and mentioned it and exW told her I had a friend who had a shop, etc, etc. So, I talked to my friend and they are always looking for mechanics to train into their specialty line of work and he told me to send the guy by.

 

I did, he did, was hired, has been there nearly 15 years and is now one of their top mechanics in a specialty he knew nothing about when he started. He's also pretty darned good with wastewater recycling systems. He would have never known that, or make the money he does, if his wife hadn't asked her hairdresser a question. That's networking.

[ufo8mycat]

I never really understood the value of networks until I became self employed. The majority of my work is word of mouth so maintaining networks is really important. You still need to have the skills to do the job though.

 

The theory goes that good people know other good people - which is why many companies prefer to hire on internal referral. Also, the majority of jobs are not advertised. So having good relationships helps tap into this job market.