Showerthought: I just read that 85% of jobs are filled through networking, not online applications.

Found that stat in a LinkedIn article yesterday, and it honestly explains why my last 50 applications went nowhere. How do you actually build a network when you're starting from zero?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliot_allen654d agoMost Upvoted

I had 62 applications out last year and got two callbacks. So yeah, @lily89 is right that online apps can work, but I think that stat is real for a lot of fields. Networking is about talking to people, not just mixers. You can start small, like asking a friend of a friend for coffee or joining a local meetup group. Even just commenting on posts in your field can get you noticed. It takes time, but it's less scary than it sounds once you try it.

reese_thompson7410d ago

Honestly that stat sounds like total bs to me. I got my last three jobs from just applying online, no networking at all. My buddy just got hired at a tech company after they found his resume on a job board. People act like networking is some magic trick, but most of the time it's just sending out a ton of applications until one sticks.

lily8910d ago

Totally agree with @reese_thompson74, that stat feels way overblown. It makes it sound like you're doomed if you don't know people, and that's just not true for a lot of fields. Applying online works, it's just a numbers game where you need a good resume. Networking can help, sure, but acting like it's the only way just makes job hunting seem more scary than it needs to be. Most people I know just found their jobs by applying, not by going to mixers or whatever.