While it's true that a lot has to do with "who you know", but don't overestimate it.

There was a time years ago I was out of flying all together, airlines furloughing and such and I was looking for anything 121, 135 or 91. 121 wasn't happening due to all the furloughs at majors and increasingly regional's were furloughing too. So I literately found EVERY charter company (both 135 & 91 operators) within a few hours of where I lived and called them looking to talk to their chief pilot and/or DO. I seriously probably spent hours on the phone with dozens upon dozens of resumes sent and pretty much all was cold...Until that one.

What I'm saying is that I didn't know ANYBODY in that field (135/91) but I was very very persistent and cold called EVERYONE. Finally I found someone who "was thinking about adding a new pilot" and hadn't yet advertised or found anyone and I slid my way into that position. It was more luck than anything but there's something to be said for determination and lots of hard work. If you go about a path like that don't get discouraged with rejection because there will be a lot until you hit one and it pays off.