Networking, Not Internet Cruising, Still Lands Most Jobs for Those in Career Transition

For the fifth year in a row person-to-person networking proves to be the single most effective way of finding a new job, according to a study of more than 46,000 individuals who received outplacement services from Right Management.

Our data from both the U.S. and Canada continue to hold steady and show what we’ve always maintained. Direct personal contact with real people is to be the most successful way to find new employment.

Five-Year First Half Trend Data on Effectiveness in Landing Jobs

 (Data is shown for the period January 1 to June 30 for each year)

Traditional networking has been the top source of new employment for the past five years, while Internet job boards are about half as effective. The job search world is always evolving, and one method may lose ground to another, but classic, systematic networking is persistently the best way to find suitable employment.

Technology plays a growing job search role and online social networking may in fact be combined with traditional networking since one may often lead to the other. A job seeker may use the Internet to track down former associates or acquaintances and then reach out to them in person. Just like the cold call, the Internet is a way to make an initial contact with a prospective employer.

Nevertheless, the biggest challenge we face with individuals receiving our service is encouraging them to do rigorous outreach to people who may be able to help them in their search strategy. Younger people sometimes expect to solve the whole thing online, and this sometimes works, but real people reaching out to real people always proves to be the best way.

The “Direct Approach” or cold calling as well as agencies, recruiters and search firms nonetheless remain effective tools for many job seekers. But newspaper or other classified ads are losing ground while Internet job postings play an increasing role.

Job candidates are always prompted to use as many tools as possible, every kind of research, all former contacts, and every opportunity to reach out to people who may be able to help. So the job candidate typically relies on a mix of approaches to find a suitable new position.