I'd probably argue that most people don't have (personal) connections starting out. Maybe, if they didn't go to the right school or school at all, someone they know is the foot in the door.
>but in time you can and will build a reputation for your quality of work, interactions with (and then capability to manage) others, and achievement of results.
That IS their network for a lot of people. OK maybe there are smaller companies that are 50% $SCHOOL grads. And there are other companies that tend to bias towards a certain group of schools. But I actually think that going to, say, Harvard is a secret handshake is overstated in a lot of cases.
I sort of suspect that my undergrad may have had something to do with a job at one point but the fact that I got in through a senior person who liked my work played a lot bigger role.
>but in time you can and will build a reputation for your quality of work, interactions with (and then capability to manage) others, and achievement of results.
That IS their network for a lot of people. OK maybe there are smaller companies that are 50% $SCHOOL grads. And there are other companies that tend to bias towards a certain group of schools. But I actually think that going to, say, Harvard is a secret handshake is overstated in a lot of cases.
I sort of suspect that my undergrad may have had something to do with a job at one point but the fact that I got in through a senior person who liked my work played a lot bigger role.