I come to this realization too. The world is not a meritocracy like we are taught as children.
In my case, I have a disability that makes networking difficult and feel immoral to me. Frankly, any company spouting DEI and still supporting networking is hypocritical.
> any company spouting DEI and still supporting networking is hypocritical
Not to take anything away from your personal situation, but this is a self-defeating mindset to have.
People, i.e. social humans in companies, are WIRED to seek out known quantities.
Networking and having someone vouch for you is not some scheme to subvert some utopian idea of meritocracy, but really an evolutionary social dynamic response.
We pick people like us, we pick people we like, we pick people who can improve the group, we pick people who can do things for the group. (having your own strong network is also something you can bring to the group in the form of more referrals, and potentially new clients etc.) Which is also why alumni networks are a thing.
There's no trick, and networking doesn't need to be sleazy, and it isn't immoral. Be likable, reach out to people, ask them for help, offer to help them.
Ironically, and arguably, the biggest threat to this is LinkedIn which lets people build a huge network that is only puddle deep.
Those 1000 connections on linkedin are worth less than 5 deep connections you've had coffee chats or lunch with in your same city and same industry.
This is exactly the type of bias that marginalizes people like me.
"There's no trick, and networking doesn't need to be sleazy, and it isn't immoral."
It doesn't need to be, but it overwhelmingly ends up that way. It often completely cuts out anyone from the outgroup or unknown, even if they are deserving candidates. It leads to wasted effort from candidates when the person being picked is essentially a forgone conclusion. I've had friends offer to open a posting for me for a promotion in the company. These sort of backroom deals are wrong.
"but really an evolutionary social dynamic response."
Just because something is evolutionary doesn't make it right. Insider trading is essentially the same thing, but for securities, yet that's illegal.
> Just because something is evolutionary doesn't make it right.
True, but you’re not going to be able change it either via evolution or culture change, so rather than make excuses and complain you might as well try to understand the best you can and figure out path that works for you within an unfair and unaccommodating system.
Back on topic Regarding OP, the book “never eat alone” is a great way to learn this stuff and anyone wanting to improve tactics and mindset for networking should read it.
DEI is about being inclusive. The very thing you are wanting from this world.
And not sure what exactly you keep implying by using words like similar, tribal organisation, stereotyping etc. But humans form relationships around many things that have nothing to do with gender, race etc. For example sports, hobbies, work etc.
When you say "disability", what do you mean exactly? Is it a specific disease, or do you just mean "I find networking difficult, and it feels immoral"?
I'm nuerodivergent. Being likeable and similar to hiring managers is not something that most nuerodivergent people are able to do at the same level as most "normal" people.
Maybe become friends with people similar to you in the industry you work in and they can let you know when there are open positions and put in a good word for you? Networking doesn’t mean being friends with HR or hiring managers, it just means getting your foot in the door via an acquaintance since someone saying “I know this person” can put you ahead of other random applicants.
I'm terribly sorry, but this just sounds like a long word for "I find it hard to be likeable". So do I, but I don't think of it as a disability: it's a part of my character, which to a reasonable degree I consider worth trying to change.
I also notice that your sympathy for yourself is not matched by an equal tolerance for other people. "Just because something is evolutionary doesn't make it right," you say of the fact that other people like people who try to be nice. You then compare it to insider trading. Gosh... seems like the rest of the human race are terrible people!
"I also notice that your sympathy for yourself is not matched by an equal tolerance for other people."
Where do you see that? The thing I'm advocating for (removing or reducing networking in the hiring process) will positively effect many more people than myself. It will also positively effect other groups that I'm not a member of (races, ethnicities, cultures, etc).
"You then compare it to insider trading. Gosh... seems like the rest of the human race are terrible people!"
I'm not saying the people are terrible. But perhaps they are ignorant.
Insider trading wasn't illegal until 1909. So do you consider all the people before that terrible? Maybe they didn't know what they were doing was hurting other people. Maybe all they saw were the benefits.
What is insider trading? You're using privileged information to capture value. In this case, using non-public information about a stock (possible gained through your network) to buy or sell the stock early.
What is networking in relation to this? You're using privileged information to capture value. In this case you're getting information not given in posting via an insider. You might hear about a future opening before its ever gers posted. You might go through the interview as a formality even though they already made their choice. The stats I've seen say that 85% of jobs are found through networking. What we end up with are the same types of bad behavior in the job market as we've seen in the past for the stock market. We see constant complaints from people here and elsewhere about fake or evergreen job postings (v. securities fraud/misrepresentation), shady hiring practices or requirements (v. Fiduciary misconduct), overhiring knowing the budget wont support it then just laying off within a year (v. pump and dump), etc. This is a massive disadvantage to people who don't have an insider. This disproportionately affects people in minority groups and those with disabilities. Many of the types of misconduct that are regulated in other markets like the stock market or commerce are not regulated in the job market.
You are hoping to replace the fact that society exists and the economy exists within its context. There is no other way to prevent people from networking to get jobs and promotions. You've also now stretched the concept to include numerous other bad things like overhiring and fake job postings. The stock market is arguably over-regulated as it is, which may be why we now see a large-scale return to private markets; extending this level of regulation to the entire job market is a crazy, unrealistic idea.
"The stock market is arguably over-regulated as it is, which may be why we now see a large-scale return to private markets;"
Lol I don't think there's a single reputable analyst that agrees with your analysis. Private equity has serious ethical issues with the way many outfits operate. It sounds like you don't have a strong understanding of ethics based on your comments. If you want to just play by low regulation
or natural law, than I might as well just take your stuff. If they can't enforce it (catch me), then I guess it's right for me to do so.
Private equity is nothing to do with public stock markets. That's why it's called private equity. They buy firms that don't trade on stock markets. Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_equity
You think I don't understand ethics, but are you sure you understand finance?
for me the main factor that makes someone likeable is how nice they are to or how much they like me and others. so i see someone display a dislike to others or to me, then i won't like them either.
> spouting DEI and still supporting networking is hypocritical
Networking is simply about building relationships with people.
This is a skill you will need in order to make it through the interview process and make yourself likeable to the hiring manager and the team. To conflate it with DEI which is all about inclusion is pretty low.
"To conflate it with DEI which is all about inclusion is pretty low."
The need to make yourself likeable disadvantages groups that may not be similar to the hiring manager. It definitely provides bias against nuerodivergent people. So no, I'm not conflating DEI and networking. There is an easily identifiable link between the bias inherent in networking and it's impact on DEI.
Reread my comments with an open mind and empathy. It's nice you think my world is ridiculous, but I guess the world is ridiculous for most disabled people.
I was told r.e. networking this is basically doing things for people and not expecting anything in return? Have done this often ( e.g. writing/reviewing resumes, finding job posts, sharing mutual connections who are hiring) and have received nothing in return. Not sure if I'm missing anything
Doing those kind of things brings the opportunity to communicate with someone you may not have otherwise met. It gets you attention.
You still have to talk to them and form a relationship like any other interaction.
For reasons I don’t understand I’m relatively good at making friends. I certainly have a lot of them. Maybe it’s simply because I am genuinely curious about other people and their interests. (A rather unexpected trait for someone who is quite happy hiding in the proverbial parent’s basement.)
I still have a high miss rate. The only way to make friends is meeting people and talking to them. This doesn’t require being in person. Most of my current friends come from the furry community and many of them I met in chat rooms long before I met them in person.
I come to this realization too. The world is not a meritocracy like we are taught as children.
In my case, I have a disability that makes networking difficult and feel immoral to me. Frankly, any company spouting DEI and still supporting networking is hypocritical.