The Survival Skill That Opens Hidden Opportunities
When it comes to career survival, many professionals focus on skills and abilities, but thereâs another factor that can matter even more and it is networking.
Data shows that a large portion of opportunities never appear on public job boards:
â What research shows:
- According to a 2025 survey of U.S. workers, 54% said they landed their most recent job through a personal or professional connection .
This is far more than through job boards, staffing firms or cold applications. CPA Practice Advisor+1 - In that same survey, respondents identified âpersonal connectionsâ (32%) and âprofessional connectionsâ (28%) as the most helpful jobâsearch strategies .
Compared with only 13% who credited job boards. CPA Practice Advisor+1 - Historically, many careerâguidance sources quote data indicating that between 60% to 80% of jobs are filled via networking (informal contacts, referrals, internal hires) rather than public job ads. DVIDS Media CDN+2Tennessee State University+2
- Referral or internalânetwork hires often have advantages: faster hiring, better âfit,â and longer retention compared with candidates from public applications. Rollins School of Public Health+2linkedin.com+2
What this means:
Many job opportunities never even reach public job boards; they live in the âhidden job market.
â For candidates, having a network can expose them to roles theyâd never see otherwise.
In effect: often, who you know matters as much or more than what you know. In one of our previous carousel post “The Power of Networking” we highlighted the story of a young designer whose career took off as a result of networking.
đ What This Means For You
- Networking opens doors hidden to most jobâseekers:
Because a large portion of jobs are never publicly advertised, having a network gives you access to roles youâd otherwise never know about. - Referrals and connections often give you an edge:
 Even if you have strong skills, a referral or internal connection may make the difference between getting noticed or getting lost in a pile of applications. - Relying solely on skills or job applications is risky:
In a competitive job market, technical or softâskills alone arenât always enough â relationships, visibility, and mutual trust often matter just as much. - Networking is a proactive careerâsurvival strategy: For freshers especially, building authentic professional relationships early can increase chances of early job placement, mentorship, and growth.
Networking isnât just about collecting contacts, itâs about building relationships that unlock opportunities. Even the most skilled professionals may be overlooked if no one in their network knows their value.
What we Recommend For You
- Start Early â engage in communities, mentorships, and professional forums.
- Be Authentic â networking is about mutual value, not self-promotion.
- Follow Up Consistently â a simple message or check-in can sustain relationships over time.
- Leverage Referrals â personal recommendations often give you a competitive edge.
Bottom Line
Your skills matter, but your network often determines which opportunities you can access. Treat networking as a survival skill, itâs your bridge to roles, collaborations, and growth that you may never find through applications alone.
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