There's nothing quite like knowing that someone has your back. In order for someone to look out for you like this, you have to instill a sense of trust in the person. This process usually takes time to develop, but once you do, they got your back for life.
I am thinking of this as I took on a role at work the past 3 days that was unfamiliar to me: that of a consultant relations person. After my boss forwarded over all of the potential consultants that we were looking to hire for a project coming up, I read the emails and noticed that a lot of the people who were looking for work had been told by fellow consultants about the job opening. My task for this week, which was to interview the consultants, allowed me to peer into the world of consultant networking.
This helped me realize two things about the consulting world: (1) While it appears to be large, the consultant network is tightly connected and (2) the relationships that consultants have developed with each other is no different than that of a good friend referring another to an ordinary job.
Every day, whether you know it or not, you are networking with someone - whether it be talking to a new person on the phone at your job or saying hello to the clerk at the grocery store. Every impression you make with someone goes a long way in determining future opportunities should your job situation somehow fall apart.
I am no stranger to the above. My last two jobs, I have received interviews (and then later was hired) thanks to a recommendation from someone I had developed a friendship at different points in my life (one through school and another through work). People are always more willing to hire someone that comes with a recommendation from someone that they trust. Why go through all the trouble and hassle of mounds and mounds of cover letters and resumes that flood your desk and email inbox when you can take the word of someone that you've developed a friendship/professional relationship with. Many times (not all the time - nothing is ever fool proof), the person recommended is a success - and this opportunity likely wouldn't have existed if the middle person (who knows both the employer and future employee) didn't develop good repore with both parties.
So next time you are in a position to make a good impression on someone, it would be in your best interests to do so. You never know who you might need to put in a good word for you if you or someone you know happens to need employment.
