Don’t kid yourself. Of course it’s who you know. What you know is important too, but who knows what you know is even more important.

Living near the seat of the federal government, I know many people who are civil servants. Generally, they got their jobs through a contact, be it a family member, friend or previous business contact. Some would say that this reflects the unfair nature of government employment and the rampant nepotism we hear so much about. I used to share this opinion and would vehemently oppose anyone who obtained employment this way, in the government or in private industry. With age, some sort of bizarre feeling came over me. I will call it wisdom. It made me realize a few things.

First, when hiring a new employee, it is much easier to go with a known quantity. So recommendations from peers and friends go a long way in establishing the baseline for the person. There are always general things we want to know: Does this person work hard? Will they help me if a deadline is fast approaching and we need all hands on deck? Do they have the right skill set to help me? How do they compliment the team? Etc. All these questions could be asked and answered in an interview, but you would only get the applicants side of the story, which is usually very positive and tends to be on the “what I want to hear” side. A different perspective from people we trust helps build the profile a little better.

Second, knowing the person you are hiring makes it easier to build the working relationship. You have common points of discussion and, possibly, interests. A huge part of the employer / employee relationship is communication. Whatever makes that easier is an asset for both parties. We often hear that people don’t leave jobs, they leaves bosses. If you can set that part straight right off the bat, then you have a much better chance of long term success.

Lastly, if you think about some of the old world ways, we have to protect our people. People can be very broad and does not have to include anything like racism, nepotism or any other form of discrimination that is explicitly illegal. Protecting your people is as simple as an executive that leaves one company and brings his/her contingent over to the new company. They have a team they trust and that has had success in the past. They feel comfortable working together and have a good dynamic. Why give that up? Unless there is something prohibiting them from hiring their team in the new position, it is actually in their best interest to have the team follow.

It is interesting how are views change with time and experience. I am surprised with my view now given my past. I would certainly not agree with myself between when I was twenty and today. The world has moved on and so have I. Does it mean I am smarter? Probably not. But it does mean that I am adapting and learning. So should you.

Stay interested and interesting!

John