By Peace Timi
The job search can feel like a rollercoaster. You spend hours perfecting your CV, learning new skills, attending workshops, and tailoring every cover letter. You hit send with hope only to be met with silence. Then you hear that someone got the same job you applied for because “they knew someone.” It stings, not because they aren’t good, but because the system often feels rigged in favor of those with the right connections.
This conversation has been going on for years. Does merit still matter? Or is it all about who you know? The truth lies somewhere in the middle. There are countless stories of hardworking people with all the right qualifications getting overlooked, while others, with fewer credentials but better networks, walk into roles with ease.
It’s not always about corruption. Sometimes, people just trust those who come recommended. In a job market overflowing with applicants, a referral helps hiring managers filter faster. They might think, “If someone I know vouches for this person, they’re probably worth interviewing.” It saves time. It feels safer.
Still, it leaves a lot of qualified people stuck. People who’ve worked hard, done internships, taken free courses, and built real skills but haven’t cracked the code of visibility. They don’t know the HR manager. They didn’t go to the right school. They’re not from the right circle. So even with a strong CV, they’re invisible.
Does that mean connections are bad? Not necessarily. They’re just a part of how life works. It’s human nature to help people you know. The real issue is when connections are used to bypass competence completely when jobs go to people who can’t do them, just because someone “put in a word.”
If there’s any lesson here, it’s that both merit and networking are necessary. You need to be good at what you do, but you also need to be known. The two aren’t enemies, they’re teammates. Being qualified is important, but being visible is powerful.
The job market isn’t a level playing field, and that’s the hard truth. But knowing this, young professionals must play smart. Build your skills, yes. But also build relationships. Show up, speak up, and don’t shy away from putting yourself forward. It’s not pride, it’s strategy.
In the end, the goal is to create a system where your CV and your network both count. Where knowing someone opens the door, but your competence keeps you in the room. That’s the kind of balance we need. And until then, we keep showing up, doing the work, and making sure our names are not just on paper but in the right conversations too.
