Consumer trends identified by resume builder platform MyPerfectResume show that more than half of U.S. workers (54%) say they’ve landed a job through a personal or professional connection. Connections were named the most helpful resource in job searching, outranking job boards, recruiters, and staffing firms.
Despite their power, connections remain an underused and often uncomfortable strategy for many job seekers. Based on a May 2025 survey of 1,000 U.S. workers, the Networking Nation Report reveals that lack of confidence, discomfort with asking, and limited outreach continue to hold workers back.
Key Findings:
- Connections outperform everything else: When including referrals, connections dominated job hunting success, with 32% of workers crediting personal connections and 28% pointing to professional connections as the most helpful tools in their most recent job search. That’s far ahead of job boards (13%) and staffing firms (8%).
- Referrals are effective, but they’re underutilized: 54% of workers report landing a job through a connection, yet more than one in five (21%)have never asked anyone for a referral.
- Most job seekers keep their job search private: Nearly 60% of workers say they reach out to only a few close contacts or no one at all when looking for a newjob.
- Regular networking is rare: Just 1 in 10 workers reach out to multiple contacts each week during a job search, despite strong evidence that networking helps land jobs.
- Confidence is the most significant barrier: 34% cite lack of confidence as the top reason they don’t network more.
Connections Named Top Job Search Tool
When asked what made the most significant difference in their most recent job search, respondents pointed to personal connections (27%) and professional connections (23%) as the most valuable.
Other top tools included:
- Job boards (13%)
- LinkedIn or other professional platforms (8%)
- Social media (6%)
- Recruiters or staffing firms (6%)
- Cold outreach to hiring managers (4%)
Networking Frequency During the Job Search
Despite the clear benefits of networking, when actively job hunting, most workers rarely engage with their network.
- Reach out to multiple contacts every week (10%)
- Reach out a few times during the job search (30%)
- Only tell one or two close contacts (29%)
- Don’t tell anyone (10%)
- Never reach out during a job search (20%)
“Networking is the most effective tool in the job search toolbox but also one of the most emotionally complicated,” said Jasmine Escalera, career expert at MyPerfectResume. “These results show a clear mismatch between what works and what workers feel comfortable doing. The good news is that you don’t need a massive network. You just need to build trust and ask.”
Referral Patterns and Motivations
Who job seekers ask for referrals:
- Friends (28%)
- Colleagues (18%)
- Parents (8%)
- Other family members (10%)
- Mentors or sponsors (9%)
- Networking contacts (LinkedIn, alumni, events) (6%)
- Never asked for a referral (21%)
When asked to give a referral:
- Only provide referrals if they trust the person (67%)
- Give referrals regardless (18%)
- Do not give referrals at all (15%)
Top reasons for agreeing to refer someone:
- Direct experience and trust in skills (32%)
- Strong belief in candidate’s potential (21%)
- General willingness to support network (17%)
- Expectation of future reciprocity (9%)
- Personal or professional obligation (7%)
- Desire to help despite uncertainty (7%)
- Avoid referrals altogether (8%)
What Workers Want From Their Networks
When asked what they’d most like to improve:
- Stronger relationships (25%)
- More contacts (16%)
- More support during job searches (12%)
- Better mentorship opportunities (11%)
- More frequent interaction (11%)
- Greater access to decision-makers (10%)
- Industry diversity (6%)
- Geographic range (5%)
- Inclusion/accessibility (4%)
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Tags: interview, job search, networking, Payroll, resume
