There’s a cliche phrase used in business that really makes me cringe. “It’s all about who you know.” Isn’t that nepotism? Is that a bad thing? I have recently been watching the Netflix series “Inventing Anna” which is an intriguing truth-inspired story about a girl who came from nothing and nowhere and suddenly starts running around elite social circles in New York, claiming to be a German Heiress, living in expensive hotels and borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s fascinating and a little disturbing at the same time. 

Now certainly, as in Anna’s case, it is absolutely unethical to lie about who you are and what you have to try to defraud people. But is using your connections in the business world all bad? It certainly helped me land my first nurse practitioner job. No, I didn’t ask for any favors from my rich daddy (I come from a middle-class background). Of course, I have real credentials and the accomplishments on my resume are true. But I also listed the names of my preceptors on my resume under my student clinical experiences. This is a strategic move and it was recommended to me by one of my preceptors. The person who offered me that first NP job looked at my references and recognized someone she knew from college. She called that person and asked about me. Apparently I got a positive review from this preceptor who knew specifics about the abilities and qualities I possess that make me a good nurse practitioner. 

Networking has been a long touted job search strategy which also worked to help me find preceptors during graduate school as well. We sometimes discount the idea that who you know is important in your job search. Perhaps the negative reputation networking has is because people think it means that you aren’t really qualified when you land the job. But this is not usually the case. Human resources and management professionals are looking for qualified candidates as well as someone that fits in with the office personality. They consider your personal fit with the company’s values and culture. Sometimes, the best way for them to vet the candidates is to ask a trusted friend who can vouch for someone. So even if you get a job through networking it is still important to make sure you demonstrate the qualities of professionalism, hard work and competence. That’s what it takes to make a good impression on your preceptors and get a good reference from them.

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Categories: Healthcare, Nursing, Careers

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