Networking Archives - Career Horizons

12 05, 2026

Networking: The 3 Cardinal Rules of Referrals

By Matt Youngquist|2026-08-05T17:13:26+00:00May 12th, 2026|Job Searching, Networking|1 Comment

As discussed extensively in many of my networking-related posts over the years, one of the hardest things to do for many job hunters is stretch beyond the "reactive" world of responding to published job ads and add in the more "proactive" component of working through personal connections to uncover unpublished and newly-created opportunities. Sure, millions of job hunters land new roles each year by responding to published leads, but at the same time -- and [...]

11 06, 2025

Networking: 10 Value-Added Questions to Ask

By Matt Youngquist|2025-06-11T17:03:42+00:00June 11th, 2025|Networking|1 Comment

There's an old saying that goes: "all dogs love to chase cars, but they have no idea what they'd do if they actually caught one." In one sense, I see a similar paradox taking place when it comes to job hunters and networking these days. Without question, the bulk of hiring taking place is happening under the radar through networking and word-of-mouth introductions -- and even in cases where a job is publicly advertised, there's [...]

11 10, 2018

Asking for Networking Help – The Right Way!

By Matt Youngquist|2018-10-11T00:09:36+00:00October 11th, 2018|Networking|Comments Off on Asking for Networking Help – The Right Way!

Looking back over the past two decades, during periods of both economic prosperity and decline, one of the most uplifting things I’ve witnessed is the willingness of many people – at times, even complete strangers – to lend a helping hand to others when they’re looking for work. In truth, there are literally hundreds of stories I could share about good Samaritans in the workplace. Situations where anxious job hunters were given just the right [...]

16 08, 2018

8 Hard-Won Networking Insights

By Matt Youngquist|2018-08-16T18:58:18+00:00August 16th, 2018|Networking|Comments Off on 8 Hard-Won Networking Insights

Ah, the irony of it all. In an age where everything is "digital this" or "digital that" it's been fascinating to watch the importance of personal relationships increase, not decrease, in terms of the job hunting process. It's almost as if there's now SO much access to talent -- and so many zillabytes of content floating around the web -- that hiring managers just don't want to mess with it all. Instead, when they've got [...]

26 04, 2017

The #1 Networking Mistake You Can Make

By Matt Youngquist|2017-04-26T23:43:38+00:00April 26th, 2017|Networking|Comments Off on The #1 Networking Mistake You Can Make

First, a caveat for those literalists out there. Sure, a worse networking mistake would be to sell all of your friends' names and contact info to a spam organization. Or end every coffee appointment you hold with an enormous belch. Or send everybody you know an e-mail telling them you think they smell and have bad taste in clothing. But in terms of the regular day-to-day stuff people do wrong, there's one "networking sin" that [...]

8 06, 2016

You’ve Landed a Corporate Referral: Now What?

By Matt Youngquist|2016-10-20T17:37:25+00:00June 8th, 2016|Uncategorized|1 Comment

As we all know, dogs love to chase cars. But as several wise people have observed, nobody's quite sure what a dog would actually DO with a car should it ever manage to successfully catch one! This reminds me, in many ways, of a networking scenario that comes up frequently during the job search process. While most people realize the importance of asking for personal referrals to help get a foot in the door with [...]

7 03, 2016

Job Market Labels, Titles & Boxes: Embrace Them!

By Matt Youngquist|2026-09-06T21:30:35+00:00March 7th, 2016|Changing Careers, Job Searching|Comments Off on Job Market Labels, Titles & Boxes: Embrace Them!

The other day, I was deputized by my wife to perform a mission-critical task. I was asked to visit the local grocery store and track down a few boxes of Kraft macaroni and cheese on short notice, ostensibly to please the cravings of several picky second-graders visiting our home. Upon arrival at QFC, I headed straight over to the pasta aisle, thinking that must be the place to locate said product. Nope, strikeout. No mac-and-cheese [...]

9 12, 2015

The Power of Little Notes

By Matt Youngquist|2016-10-20T17:37:26+00:00December 9th, 2015|Interviewing, Networking|Comments Off on The Power of Little Notes

For many job hunters today, the process of applying for work and trying to get hired can feel like the proverbial "black box" experiment. You send a bunch of resumes out there -- including for roles you feel eminently qualified for -- but frequently get little to no response, leading you to wonder "What's going on beyond the curtain? What am I possibly doing wrong? What mysterious factors seem to be getting other peoples' applications [...]

14 10, 2015

Reunited (and it feels so good…)

By Matt Youngquist|2016-10-20T17:37:26+00:00October 14th, 2015|LinkedIn Tips, Networking|Comments Off on Reunited (and it feels so good…)

For those who of you who know the old song mentioned in the subject line, my apologies. You'll probably now have that tune running through your head all day, as it is in mine. But I couldn't resist leading with it, since the "theme" that has been manifesting itself time and time again in my work over the past week is the importance of reconnecting with former colleagues and acquaintances. For starters, while I'll avoid [...]