Even though it is frustrating to think that your knowledge is not as important and valuable as knowing the right people and having the connections to move ahead, it is the crude reality. From personal experience, this has been true during the last couple of years of my life. I cannot say that this is true everywhere, but it is definitely how it works back home in Puerto Rico. The internships and job opportunities that I’ve had in the past have been given to me because of my family connections. I have been fortunate in the sense that I have a family with huge networks that have been able to find opportunities for me, but at the same time it is sad to think that I have not needed to develop my own skills for networking and for job hunting. My educational background has not been a determining factor when employers have decided to give or deny me a job. As I said previously in our class, I have been taking social networking for granted until I came to college because I was born into a network and did not think it was essential for me to build one on my own.
Now that I am a semester away from graduating from college I have been looking for what to do once I am out of school. Who I know has been more important that what I have learned in these last three years. I have been offered a job in San Diego, Houston, and Puerto Rico. I have the chance to choose from three different positions that where given to me because of my father. If it weren’t for him I would probably not have been considered for these job. It is so much easier to find a job by being referred by someone you know. But, where do we draw the line? Why do we spend so many years of our lives studying and struggling to get good grades when at the end it is probably limited by the people we know? It is just not fair to get a job because your father knows somebody over a person that may have the same qualities but lacks the connections.
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3 comments:
this is definitely true. This happens all the time with finding internships especially because usually due to a lack of experience. There is a tough balance finding the difference between experience and who you know, but in many cut-throat industries (i.e. -- music and movies, and other entertainment fields), that is the only real way it is done. Sure, you could be hired based on connections, but if you are NOT an asset, I find it sufficient to say that you will not be working there long and whoever recommended you will not look good.
Knowing people only carries you so far before you are fired. One thing a supervisor once told me was that a client could go to an editor that had more experience than another, but if option 2 has better people/connection skills and slightly worse editing skills, the second one will be chosen. Having the ability to make connections through work and having good people skills are two huge parts of any company...
I was going to say what Mike has already said. That having such connections can only get you in the door, but it is up to YOU to stay in the room.
I also believe that having connections is fair. You worked hard in developing relationships and spent time getting to know people. Consider it an investment.
It is also important to remember that the person next to you is using his/her connections as well. Nowadays, the real difference isn't having a connections, it's who that connection is. Is your reference a newbie or veteran in the company?
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