The reports from job seekers in the trenches are, to put it bluntly, grim. Some have been sending applications into a seeming void for months or years. The numbers of resumes sent are staggering, reaching into the hundreds and thousands, yet the responses are typically in single and double digits. In one of the toughest job markets in recent memory, “spray and pray” just isn’t effective. Can it work? Undoubtedly. But when you make personal connections for job-search success, you’ll see much bigger—and faster!—returns than those who are crossing their fingers as they hit “apply.”
What Works in Today’s Market
If the old approaches aren’t effective today, what is? Simply this: personal, human connections. There’s too much talk about applicant tracking systems (ATS) these days, and the truth remains that who you know—and more importantly, who knows you—is crucial to success in this market. I’ve seen it happen:
A client I was working with applied to eight roles one day, following up with a key person at each company. Within a week, she had nabbed four interviews. A month later, she had a job offer.
No, this whole “personal connections” thing doesn’t equate to immediate success. Sometimes, you won’t hear back. Sometimes, you can’t get through. But at a time when, just this week, a friend told me, “What I’ve found in the job search over the past couple of years is that, unless you have someone who can put your resume in front of the hiring manager/recruiter, applying for positions online isn’t impactful anymore,” something has to be done. And this is it.
Why Personal Connections Matter More than Applications
When you get right down to it, people hire people. It’s not a company hiring a resume or, worse, an algorithm. A recruiter reviews applications, calls people who appear to be a match to see if the resume reflects the truth, and then moves forward with interviewing.
Even an AI-powered ATS is not much more than a storage unit with a search bar. People still make the decisions. Your resume will land in front of a recruiter or hiring manager who will respond to your story, context, and personality.
But a robust network can certainly help ensure your resume lands in front of the right people.
At this point, you may be thinking that you don’t know enough people. A 2022 study by researchers at MIT, Harvard, Stanford, and LinkedIn highlighted that weak ties may have the strongest impact for online job seekers. Here’s what they said: “Infrequent, arms-length relationships are more beneficial for employment opportunities, promotions, and wages than strong ties.”
Whoa. That means your inner circle of friends may not be nearly as effective in your search as those second- and third-level tiers of acquaintances.
Reaching Out to Personal Connections for Job-Search Success
When you reach out to a person as a standard part of your job search, you show that you’re:
- Proactive
- Thoughtful
- Someone with whom they may want to work
And just that simple action of connecting puts you ahead of most applicants.
The question, of course, is how to achieve this outreach without sounding desperate and while increasing your chance of success. Let’s look at the three levels of connections, using LinkedIn as a base here.
First Level: Your Existing Network
While you can definitely go straight to the hiring manager before or after applying, your strongest option is to connect with people in your sphere (first-level LinkedIn connections). In fact, when you apply for a position on LinkedIn, the site even gives suggestions on people you can contact about the role, regardless of whether or not they’re the job poster. 
Here are some tips to successfully leverage personal connections for job-search success:
Share your search
While you may have posted on LinkedIn about your job search due to a layoff or downsizing, don’t assume that everyone saw that post. It’s easy enough to send a quick InMail. Naturally, if you personally know people, opt for a text, email, or phone call. Try something like:
“I’ve recently started exploring next-step opportunities in program leadership. If you hear of a company looking for help in operations, change management, or cross-functional delivery, I’d love an introduction.”
Make introductions easy
When you find a position that interests you, reach out to your first-level connection, tell them about the role, and ask if they’re willing to forward an introduction. This makes the whole thing super easy for them. They have a link to the hiring manager or decision maker, and they have something to send. Personalize this to each person for authenticity and to talk about what makes sense for the two of you. It might look like:
“Hi, Joan. I saw that ABC Company is hiring for a learning development specialist and that you are connected to a recruiter there, Tom Summers (insert the link). I’m hoping you’ll be kind enough to introduce us. To make this easier, I’ve written something you can forward to Tom:
Tom, I’d like to introduce you to Tamara Christiansen, who is an accomplished learning development specialist. She and I worked together at XYZ company, so I know her work to be outstanding. Check out her LinkedIn profile (insert the link). I hope you two will be able to connect!”
Always ask for the introduction, not the job
No one likes feeling put on the spot, but almost everyone likes connecting good people with other good people. Even if you personally know the hiring manager, she’ll still have to do her due diligence before making a job offer. But there’s nothing wrong with pointing out you’d be ideal for the role. When asking for the introduction, focus on that first:
“Would you feel comfortable introducing me to the director of strategy? I’d love to learn more about what he’s working on.”
Asking for insight or conversation feels lighter—and yet often leads to the very thing you’re seeking.
Second Level: Warm-ish Outreach
Remember that study about people on the periphery of your network being a goldmine? Well, that’s where the friend of a friend thing can turn into networking success. You can reach out by saying something like:
“Lisa suggested I reach out to you because of your work in healthcare marketing. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the current hiring landscape.”
This produces high response rates because it carries trust. Obviously check in with Lisa (or whoever) first to ensure you have their go-ahead. If you don’t have the okay to name drop, try:
“I see that we have several connections in common. In fact, I worked with Larry Drake for several years. I’d love to learn more about your growth plans at ABC Company.”
Third Level: Cold Outreach That Doesn’t Feel Cold
When you don’t have an easy in, it can feel, well, weird to reach out to someone cold. But the truth is that it can work very successfully. Unfortunately, too many job seekers don’t have a great intro and sound robotic or, worse, like they’re begging. There’s a better way.
To be successful in those colder emails, be sure to include:
- Context: Tell them how you found them and why you’re emailing.
- Connection: Mention something that connects the two of you, whether it’s experience, networks, locations, alma maters, or interests. LinkedIn usually provides all you need here.
- Clarity: Be brief, and in one sentence, tell them what you’re hoping for.
Here’s an example:
“Hi Jordan, I came across your profile while researching leaders in supply chain optimization. Your work at BlueRiver caught my eye. I’d love 10 minutes to ask about your team’s focus this year and understand how professionals like me might support initiatives like yours.”
If you’re reaching out after applying, that’s fine too. The order isn’t as important as the message and follow-up.
Why This Approach Works
There are a couple of general things that we all do; think of them as human nature:
- We like to be helpful.
- We love to talk about ourselves.
When you reach out to someone for help and ask their opinion or for them to share about themselves and their expertise, they are inclined to respond. And when you make them feel valued and appreciated, they tend to want to lend their support.
Personal Connections Turn into Job-Search Gold
Although stats vary from 70% to 85%, it’s true that a vast majority of positions are filled through networking. That means your future job is statistically more likely to come from a relationship than from an online application. Unfortunately, while this approach works much of the time, it doesn’t work all the time. That’s why you don’t want to put all your job-search eggs into one basket. Keep applying, building your network, and staying in touch with people. Leverage personal connections as much as makes sense—and you’re comfortable with.
Your job search is all about marketing. It’s not a form-submission contest. Marketing happens through the words you share and the people with whom you connect. And in this market, doing anything you can to find job-search success is well worth the time spent on the task.
As Your Career Advocate, I am passionate about providing tips and suggestions to improve your job-search outcomes. Learn more about how I can help.