A new survey from Resume Now found that 70% of professionals agree that “your network matters more than your resume,” yet cold outreach remains underutilized—and often ineffective.
While most professionals believe networking is crucial to career advancement, many are held back by fear, self-doubt, or concerns about bias, according to the report “Networking in the New Job Market” from Resume Now, a resume building platform.
Many professionals feel they don’t know who to reach out to or what to say, and the majority of those who do try receive little to no response, the report noted.
“In an increasingly digital world, remote work and artificial intelligence tools are reshaping how people network—but not everyone feels empowered to participate equally,” Resume Now said.
Despite growing awareness of networking’s importance, cold messaging remains a missed opportunity. The report says:
- 42% have never sent a cold message and have no plans to.
- Another 22% have considered it but haven’t followed through.
- Just 11% of professionals say nothing holds them back from networking—meaning 89% experience at least one hesitation.
- About one-third of those who’ve tried cold outreach say fewer than one in four messages get a reply.
Top reasons professionals hesitate include:
- 42% feel like they’re bothering someone.
- 33% fear rejection.
- 33% don’t know who to contact.
- 29% don’t know what to say.
- 27% don’t think outreach will help.
- 12% feel unworthy of others’ time.
- 12% lack the time or energy.
“Networking has always been important, but the modern job market adds new layers of pressure,” Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now, said in a statement. “People know they should be reaching out, but fear of rejection, concerns about potential biases, or simply not knowing what to say can hold many back. The good news is, with the right support and resources, like AI tools that can help you get started, more workers can build the confidence to connect meaningfully.”
Even in a remote world, traditional networking channels remain dominant. Here are additional findings from the survey:
- 54% prefer in-person events.
- 44% prefer referrals or introductions.
- Digital methods like email (25%) and social media (25%) are common but not preferred.
- Only 14% favor virtual events.
AI-assisted networking is rising—but not without skepticism:
- 33% have used tools like ChatGPT or Grammarly to help write outreach messages.
- 33% haven’t yet—but are open to trying.
- Only 13% are regular AI users.
- 49% say they’d be less impressed by a message they know was written by AI.
Concerns about how one is perceived remain a major obstacle, as 50% have hesitated to network due to fear of how they’d be judged.
According to the survey, top worries include:
- Lack of experience (27%)
- Age (22%)
- Education (10%)
- Race or ethnicity (9%)
Structural bias is also top of mind:
- 82% say attending a prestigious university makes it easier to build a network.
- 63% believe networking gives unfair advantages in hiring or promotions.
The findings provided were gathered through a survey conducted with 1,000 U.S. workers on May 3, 2025. Participants were asked about their networking habits, cold outreach experiences, use of AI tools, and perceptions of equity and access in professional relationship-building. The survey included a mix of question formats, including yes/no questions, multiple choice, Likert scale questions gauging agreement levels, and multi-select options.
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Tags: Accounting, Firm Management, networking, Payroll, Small Business
