Originally Posted by
JohnBurke
Not a single one of my 30+ employers came by networking, and I've never been hired based on someone else.
A lot do it, but I've never had much but contempt for those who got their job because of who they knew, or because they bought it.
All of my aviation jobs have involved direct customer interactions (students or pax), leadership, and in some cases operational management too. People skills matter for that kind of thing.
Also if you have a good reputation, that gets around. At the upper levels EVERYBODY has recommendations in this industry, so lack thereof would probably stand out in and of itself.