So true. I've been trying to drive this home to my wife, who has been out of the job market for almost 10 years. She's getting discouraged because she is getting no responses to her applications. Her resume is strong (almost 10 years marketing/design at Apple, went back to school got highest GPA possible in anthropology, now is taking UX design/research courses, acing them), but it's just not going to get looked at without mining her networks.
But it's really hard to go knocking on the door of people you haven't worked with or talked to in almost a decade. It's easy to assume they won't be interested in connecting. Or if one doesn't respond, assuming the rest will.
Like you I've never had a job that didn't come from some kind of personal connection. It's really the key.
I’ve met all three of my former managers for lunch at least once since I left the company where I worked for them just to keep the network warm. I also try to meet former coworkers for lunch when I can.
One of the questions I ask them when I turn in my letter of resignation is what do they need me to do so if I need to call them for a reference in two or three years, they will give me a good referral.
I don’t think I would have any problems getting hired by but one of my former managers.
I’ve also met local recruiter for lunch and always respond to non shady recruiters.
But as far as your wife, I would hope that most of her female former coworkers would be able to relate to the fact that some mothers take a break in their career to be caretakers and that most of her former male coworkers wouldn’t be knuckle draggers and understand too.
But it's really hard to go knocking on the door of people you haven't worked with or talked to in almost a decade. It's easy to assume they won't be interested in connecting. Or if one doesn't respond, assuming the rest will.
Like you I've never had a job that didn't come from some kind of personal connection. It's really the key.