The world is operating on the web so it makes sense that people are seeking professional advancement online. There are many great sources to help you find salary ranges, company profiles, and other great information. However, job hunting, especially for those who want to become a financial advisor, can have many drawbacks when doing so online.
While business activities are done over the Internet, business does not tend to get done on there; it is merely a tool that to make the operations more convenient. This is why a finance industry recruiter will not typically seek out his rising stars on websites like [job posting site you are currently using] but prefer to pick up those who they are connected to in some way.
Personal Connections go a Long way
What you know is crucial. That's why degrees in finance and economics are more valuable than those in leadership and motivation.
However, who you know is also important. When you fill out a job application on the web only because you found it - as opposed to being led there by someone who is required to screen applicants in this manner - the result is that you will likely be overlooked.
You have a much better chance of getting to the next stage in this process if you know someone because they will have some kind of association with you.
Referrals Open Doors
People like to do business with those they know, like, and trust. The next best thing is someone those people have the same relationship with.
When friends refer others they do so as a means of building or using capital that stands to enhance the relationship. For example, David Khasidy, the former president of SunRay Power Management, was able to get his first internship at a Manhattan commodities trading office because his parents knew the owner.
There is no other way a 16-year-old kid from Brooklyn would have been walking into that office for his first day at work otherwise. What he had was something that an online profile and application lacks: depth.
Online Profiles Lack Depth
When a recruiter sees your profile he sees a flat screen and flat data. You (and everyone else) have a name, went to college, have other work experience, etc.
While you are waiting for a phone call the word is getting out among his peers that he's looking for someone sharp. The opportunity is a great one and whoever gets it will be very lucky.
Lo and behold, a person he does business with has a daughter who is about to graduate from the University of Chicago and will be home this month to interview with some big banks and other firms.
While you are hoping that one of the online applications you have filled out is going to make a difference, this young lady's father was able to use his connection to get her an interview she didn't even apply for.