4 Personal Examples of Networking Success: Make your own job search more fun, less glum, this summer.

We are approaching a holiday weekend. Holiday and vacation periods are a good time to reflect and write a more personal post, yet one that shares lessons for jobseekers. We have mentioned frequently that networking is an “old school” job search approach that still works in the age of AI.

This week, while coaching a young client on the value of growing his network, I thought about the role personal and business contacts have played in my own career. Of course, one person’s example does not prove the common quote that up to 80% of jobs are found through the people that jobseekers know. It’s just an illustration that I hope will inspire you to give it a try this summer instead of clicking and sending resumes to job posting sites all day.

A form of networking played a role in landing at least three jobs I accepted, and one offer I passed on. The four examples we’ll discuss include:

1. Joining the Federal government after graduating from college,
2. Transitioning to the non-profit sector after being downsized from the government,
3. An invite to apply for a job at a holiday party, and
4. A referral from a hiring manager that said “no.”

Networking has made job search “less glum, more fun” for me on several occasions, too. It’s boring to click on hundreds of online applications, fill them out, and upload your resume. Also, I know of relatively few jobseekers that have gotten work that way.

A contact helped me land a Federal job.

The transition from school to work is, for many of us, one of life’s most challenging adjustments. We think the business world will welcome us with open arms because we graduated with honors from a brand-name school. It happens for some graduates, but others struggle to find their footing in the “real world.”

My search for a “real job” after college lasted nearly a year. The breakthrough began about six months before I landed. It started when someone suggested I meet with a rep from an employment program that, I was told, could help me find work. Myrtle at the program listened to my story, made some notes, and said “a client just started at his job and has a similar business and economics background. I’ll put you in touch.”

Months passed, and then Myrtle’s contact called me. Karl ultimately asked me to call one of his managers where he worked at the US General Accounting Office (GAO), Vince, to set up an interview. The process moved at “the glacial speed of government,” but the interview finally took place.

Vince, Karl, and I spoke for an hour or so, and then Vince said “I will recommend to Chuck (his Regional Manager) that we hire you.” It’s common to hear statements like this after interviews, so I took it with a large grain of salt. The government wheels started turning, though, and this time I got a call, and a letter, offering me a position. The job was fascinating, based on my research, and the salary was reasonable, so I gratefully accepted.

The job lasted for 15 years, I made many friends, and I was promoted three times. Shortly after I interviewed for another promotion to supervisor, the GAO New York Office closed.

Contacts helped me step into the non-profit world.

After several months of fruitless searching, I found my way into a short course on non-profit management. The professor referred me to someone she thought might know of opportunities in his organization.

I got into a temp job through the professor’s contact. He met with me, and several weeks later, arranged for me to interview with the Internal Audit Manager. The Internal Audit Manager hired me to fill in for his regular auditor who was on maternity leave.

The internal audit role lasted six weeks. Then, Diana in HR offered to bring me on for some projects in her office. We did not get along, but I learned a lot about HR in a short time—something that was valuable down the road.

Another job offer was a “Christmas present.”

Holiday functions are another place to network. During the 2004 holiday season, I experienced this first-hand when I attended a holiday luncheon held by a professional organization in Manhattan. An acquaintance at the luncheon knew me from a prior job. She told me the department manager at her job would be posting an opening, and encouraged me to apply. Her boss promptly interviewed me when I applied, and then extended an offer. The job was “geographically undesirable,” so I turned it down when I was offered a position closer to home.

Professional organizations may not do summer picnics as often as Christmas parties. Nonetheless, be alert for summer events—softball games, cookouts, etc., where there could be an opportunity to speak with relevant people.

A manager that said “no” referred me to a job elsewhere.

The job I accepted instead of the Christmas party opportunity resulted from a unique networking situation. Specifically, I had several discussions with the Executive Director of a well-known New York charity. Eventually, a position opened up and I applied. The Executive Director called me about a week later to say she was not considering me for the role. Managers do not call to say no, so I was puzzled. Then she told me that another organization was staffing-up to undertake a large welfare-to-work contract known as WeCARE in Brooklyn. They needed more than 300 people right away, so she sent my resume to them.

WeCARE hired me. The job lasted eight years. Whether you graduated from school this spring and need your first “real” job, you were downsized because business slowed in Q1 or Q2, or you want to find greener pastures before 2025, summer may be an opportune time for informal networking. Plan strategically, and most importantly, have fun!