Dude, just outta curiosity, how do you think things work in the rest of the buisness world? It's not what you know that gets you the job in the downtown Manhatten office, its who you know. This is a concept that is not unique to the airline. If you were working in a cubicle somewhere, you would be whining about the same thing of not knowing the right people to get the job.

So, while you sit there and make life miserable for the guy sitting next to you for 4 days whining about not knowing the right people, just remember he could be the one that is on your next hiring board and will remember how awful flying with you was