[phil-martin]

A close friend of mine once told me:

"You are ALWAYS being interviewed"

I didn't really understand what she meant, until a couple of years later a good opportunity came up from seemingly nowhere. I couldn't figure out how or why it happened, and it eventually ended up from a half dozen links in recommendations over the span of a year or more, all happening in the background.

I really enjoyed reading your comment, everything there resonates strongly.

Impressions matter, people and networks matter, and being honest to who you are and being brave enough to show that to the world in a respectful way pays off in the long run.

And to tie it back to the original poster, instead of relying on job ads, also engaging with networks of people to find others can be hugely beneficial. These networks are bidirectional. People will make recommendations based on how your company behaves and what it is like to work there.