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Looking for a Job Is Tough

(blog.kaplich.me)
184 points skaplich | 1 comments | 14 Nov 24 01:15 UTC | HN request time: 0.21s | source
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friggeri ◴[14 Nov 24 02:43 UTC] No.42132623[source]▶
One piece of advice I usually give is to avoid applying to jobs through company’s career websites or LinkedIn. Instead, tap your social network: see if there is someone you know/have worked with who either works at the company you’re interested in or is connected to it someone (as an advisor, investor, personal friend of someone in a leadership position) and ask them for a warm intro. Social proof gives you an advantage over the legion of anonymous online applicants.
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1. benreesman ◴[14 Nov 24 03:23 UTC] No.42132843[source]▶
Ah yes, in the grand tradition of meritocracy, competition, and capitalism: “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.

To be clear, I’m not saying you’re wrong: in a distorted market it’s absolutely about who you know and get on with. So it’s nothing personal that your (astute) observation irks me.

I just can’t see advice like this without feeling a little tick: I’ve been in this business for more than twenty years, and there have been downturns certainly in that time, but I’ve never seen it so firmly in the iron grip of monopoly and nepotism with such predictably grim results for the software outcomes.

And don’t get me started on the party line that “the economy is doing great”.