Moving forward in one's career is both an art and a science. The art is in knowing when to approach people and how to do it. The science is in applying yourself rigorously to building a network so that at the right time, you have the contacts you need. This is ever more important in today's IPO-unfriendly mergers and acquisitions-oriented environment.
According to Pam Lassiter in her book The New Job Security (Ten Speed Press, 2002), 65% to 85% of jobs are filled by networking (10% to 15% are filled via search firms and 3% through responses to ads). A 2001 Society for Human Resource Management survey found the most effective job-hunting tactics to be personal contact/networking over Internet job postings, employee referrals/employee referral program, use of recruiters, and newspapers ads. All of which is to say: To increase your chances of getting to the top, stop being frustrated with ...
