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You're focused on the wrong thing. The resume comes way too late in the job acquisition process to really matter. The vast majority of jobs are filled through n

You're focused on the wrong thing. The resume comes way too late in the job acquisition process to really matter. The vast majority of jobs are filled through networking, not applying cold with a great resume. You need to work on meeting people in your field, at the companies where you want to work. It's not what you know, it's who you know. Go out to meetups. Be a friendly, helpful person. Make friends, lots of them. One of them will make the connection for you at some point.

hasenj 9y ago
I always hear this, but I've never been hired through networking, nor have I ever seen someone hired through networking. I suspect that to be more the case in very large companies. Luckily I have never worked in one.
- jacalata 9y ago
  My boyfriend got his current job when my friend mentioned that her friend had the same degree as him and had mentioned the company was hiring, would he like to be put in touch? The company is about 15 people altogether.
- Bahamut 9y ago
  Large companies are probably even less likely to hire due to networking - it helps more with smaller companies. I have helped gotten friends hired at companies I’ve worked at, and vice versa.
- kelnos 9y ago
  I've never not been hired through networking, and I've never worked for a large company. YMMV.
- smartbit 9y ago
  I pivoted my career and got hired through networking (active attending meetups)
- bdcravens 9y ago
  Depends on what you call networking. Being involved (speaking), mentoring, reaching out to people in your social circle who have contacts in professional circles you're interested in, etc. Networking isn't showing up to a something posted on Meetup.com, grabbing a slice of pizza and a drink, and making small talk.
  - moron4hire 9y ago
    No, eating meetup pizza is not the whole of networking, but it's a very easy path that can certainly lead to the rest.
    - bdcravens 9y ago
      Of course, it's still a matter of initiative. You have to make those connections, not expect being on auto-pilot to result in a pot of gold.
- zwischenzug 9y ago
  I got hired in an industry (finance) I had no experience in after giving a talk at a meetup, then an 'interview' in a pub.
- dnautics 9y ago
  I'm working at a place where I don't know anyone who was hired except through networking.
groby_b 9y ago
I still doubt the "networking" part. I've got my first job in the states because a recruiter called me. Same for the second job. The third one was through being acquired. The fourth one, you could call networking if you call showing up for a recruiting event networking. 5th one? You guessed it, recruiter called. Sixth one? Yep. Exactly. Before that, I worked in Germany. 1st job, applied cold. Second one, applied cold. 3rd one, applied cold. 4th one was working with a friend, so there's that. 5th one, applied cold for contract work, converted into a job. So half networked. So, if we're generous, 2 out of 11 were networking. As far as I'm concerned, work on the things you care about, build your skills, and when you switch jobs, make sure it propels you forward in some way. If you're a social person, by all means, enjoy meetups/meeting people because it's something that works for you. But don't force yourself to yet another meetup just because everybody says you should.
- sidlls 9y ago
  I still get recruiters randomly messaging me. However they're all looking for someone to move laterally, not up. This wasn't the case when I was more junior. Much like salary I find myself wondering if there isn't a limit to finding new opportunities without networking.
  - dabockster 9y ago
    > I still get recruiters randomly messaging me. Define "recruiter".
    - sidlls 9y ago
      People who recruit. I get messages from recruiters who are direct employees of the companies they recruit for, self-employed recruiters and recruiters for contracting shops. Probably a variety of others, too.
  - groby_b 9y ago
    There might be. I don't know. I've been approached by recruiters, told them point blank "not what I'm looking for, here's what I want", and they just pointed me to those opportunities instead. So I think part of the answer is clearly saying what you want. I don't know if that holds for positions like Director /VP at large tech companies - these are always somewhat political - but it seems to hold up to pretty much right before that. YMMV, of course. For all I know, I accidentally have the right magic keywords in my LinkedIn or something. (I don't know. I only update it every few years, so I certainly am not paying enough attention to tell :)

hasenj 9y ago

I always hear this, but I've never been hired through networking, nor have I ever seen someone hired through networking. I suspect that to be more the case in very large companies. Luckily I have never worked in one.

jacalata 9y ago
My boyfriend got his current job when my friend mentioned that her friend had the same degree as him and had mentioned the company was hiring, would he like to be put in touch? The company is about 15 people altogether.
Bahamut 9y ago
Large companies are probably even less likely to hire due to networking - it helps more with smaller companies. I have helped gotten friends hired at companies I’ve worked at, and vice versa.
kelnos 9y ago
I've never not been hired through networking, and I've never worked for a large company. YMMV.
smartbit 9y ago
I pivoted my career and got hired through networking (active attending meetups)
bdcravens 9y ago
Depends on what you call networking. Being involved (speaking), mentoring, reaching out to people in your social circle who have contacts in professional circles you're interested in, etc. Networking isn't showing up to a something posted on Meetup.com, grabbing a slice of pizza and a drink, and making small talk.
- moron4hire 9y ago
  No, eating meetup pizza is not the whole of networking, but it's a very easy path that can certainly lead to the rest.
  - bdcravens 9y ago
    Of course, it's still a matter of initiative. You have to make those connections, not expect being on auto-pilot to result in a pot of gold.
zwischenzug 9y ago
I got hired in an industry (finance) I had no experience in after giving a talk at a meetup, then an 'interview' in a pub.
dnautics 9y ago
I'm working at a place where I don't know anyone who was hired except through networking.

groby_b 9y ago

I still doubt the "networking" part. I've got my first job in the states because a recruiter called me. Same for the second job. The third one was through being acquired. The fourth one, you could call networking if you call showing up for a recruiting event networking. 5th one? You guessed it, recruiter called. Sixth one? Yep. Exactly. Before that, I worked in Germany. 1st job, applied cold. Second one, applied cold. 3rd one, applied cold. 4th one was working with a friend, so there's that. 5th one, applied cold for contract work, converted into a job. So half networked. So, if we're generous, 2 out of 11 were networking. As far as I'm concerned, work on the things you care about, build your skills, and when you switch jobs, make sure it propels you forward in some way. If you're a social person, by all means, enjoy meetups/meeting people because it's something that works for you. But don't force yourself to yet another meetup just because everybody says you should.

sidlls 9y ago
I still get recruiters randomly messaging me. However they're all looking for someone to move laterally, not up. This wasn't the case when I was more junior. Much like salary I find myself wondering if there isn't a limit to finding new opportunities without networking.
- dabockster 9y ago
  > I still get recruiters randomly messaging me. Define "recruiter".
  - sidlls 9y ago
    People who recruit. I get messages from recruiters who are direct employees of the companies they recruit for, self-employed recruiters and recruiters for contracting shops. Probably a variety of others, too.
- groby_b 9y ago
  There might be. I don't know. I've been approached by recruiters, told them point blank "not what I'm looking for, here's what I want", and they just pointed me to those opportunities instead. So I think part of the answer is clearly saying what you want. I don't know if that holds for positions like Director /VP at large tech companies - these are always somewhat political - but it seems to hold up to pretty much right before that. YMMV, of course. For all I know, I accidentally have the right magic keywords in my LinkedIn or something. (I don't know. I only update it every few years, so I certainly am not paying enough attention to tell :)