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Networking, Personal Contacts Best Way to Find a Job

It Still Comes Down to Who You Know

February 21, 2007
Craiglist, Monster and CareerBuilder are fine but if you're really serious about finding a job, personal contacts and off-line networking are still the best methods.

A new Hudson survey finds that networking was the most common way workers (28 percent) and managers (33 percent) alike secured their current job. Plus, managers overwhelmingly consider familiar resources, such as employees and personal contacts, to be the optimal source of job candidates.

Specifically, 40 percent of managers state internal promotions are the best way to fill an opening, followed by employee referrals and personal recommendations (24 percent and 20 percent, respectively). In fact, three-quarters (73 percent) of managers say their company typically looks at the current employee base first when conducting a job search before considering any other candidates.

"Email and the Internet make replying to an online job posting easier than ever, but in this situation, easy does not necessarily mean effective," said Steve Wolfe, senior vice president, Hudson North America. "Consequently, developing and maintaining a strong network of professional as well as personal contacts can mean the difference between landing an interview and getting lost in the crowd."

Looking ahead, more than four in ten (41 percent) workers expect to stay with their current employer for more than six years. However, there are still a significant number of employees (28 percent) who anticipate switching companies in the short-term.

Plus, more than half (54 percent) of the work force can be categorized as an active or passive job seeker, meaning they are either actively looking for another job or would seriously considering leaving if the right opportunity presented itself.

"Hiring and retaining top talent in today’s job market is a challenge, which is only going to intensify as the pool of highly skilled professionals continues shrinking," added Wolfe. "This is why it is imperative for employers to not just react as jobs open up, but develop a formal recruitment strategy that provides a healthy pipeline of talent."

Additional survey findings include:

• One-quarter (25 percent) of workers have previously worked with a recruiter or headhunter.

• Just 14 percent of workers’ resumes are available online. Among those employees, 42 believe their company isn’t aware their resume is posted and 41 percent say their employer knows.

• Among workers who earn $75,000-$100,000 per year, two-fifths (39 percent) found their current job through networking.

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