When Gen Xers and baby boomers were on the prowl for jobs in their 20s, walking into an office building and handing over their resumes wasn’t out of the ordinary. Hitting the streets and hopping from offices to industry events could even potentially land them a job.
But unlocking a career opportunity today may take more depth than simply sharing a business card. And Welch would know; the seasoned consultant, business columnist, and news contributor has witnessed what has worked over the past four decades.
“This idea that you’re going to stand in a vast hotel conference room and hand somebody your card, and it’s going to result in a great career is completely crazy,” Welch continued. “You should take the time that you waste networking and commit to learning how to be a friend to people.”
In actuality, she explained that building deep connections over many years could help professionals climb the corporate totem pole in the long run. Success might not be instant, but it’s a foolproof way to keep opportunities flowing.
“It works because over the course of your life, you have become friends with somebody. You have done favors for them without any expectation of return, and then over time, one day, there’s a piece of business, and they’re the ones who help you get it,” Welch said. “And this is how businesses actually run: friendship on top of friendship, on top of friendship.”
Welch isn’t the only business leader who leans on their pals to enrich their careers.
For example, when Winfrey wanted to head to Chicago, where competing daytime talk-show host Phil Donahue was also based, people discouraged her from making the jump and potentially losing viewers. But King encouraged her to take the leap—something a surface-level networking connection might not advise. Moments like these were critical in building her media empire.
