referrals 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to published job ads and add in the more "proactive" component of working through personal connections to uncover unpublished and newly-created opportunities.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 [...]

12 05, 2017

LinkedIn: 13 Creative Networking Possibilities

By Matt Youngquist|2017-05-12T21:00:03+00:00May 12th, 2017|Changing Careers, LinkedIn Tips|Comments Off on LinkedIn: 13 Creative Networking Possibilities

Ah, LinkedIn. For all of its limitations, quirks, and frustrations it still continues to be the most useful tool ever invented for networking, job searching, and career advancement. And yet, for all of the amazing relationship-leveraging potential it offers, many users of the system continue to overlook quite a few creative ways they could use the site's functionality to achieve various business and career goals. As I've emphasized many times before, I believe the fundamental [...]

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 [...]