[ryandvm]

This. I was one of the founders in a software development co-op and the unfortunate truth was that almost all of our work came from connections one of us previously had. The good news is that if you do good work, and we did, that web of connections grows exponentially. But yeah, it's hard to tell somebody just getting into it that it's all who you know, but it's true.

[frankc]

I think what ozim is trying to get across and I agree with, is that "it's who you know" does not imply that its just a good ol boys network for it's own sake. Working with people you know and trust is normal. There is no way you can suss out in an interview loop or a client meeting what you can from a recommendation from someone who has with direct knowledge through experience with that business partner or employee. Managing relationships is part of the job and part of career building. For the career part, I have found that just being competent and nice goes a long way, without having to do aggressive networking.