Do you know them well enough?

I just reread Levit's recent post on cover letters and thought about the following comment, which generated opposing responses from several readers (note emphasis added):

Basically, I think they’re a waste, because if you aren’t submitting your
resume to someone you know well enough to include a
more informal e-mail instead, you’re probably just going to end up in the black
hole that is the general HR inbox.

For those of you just about to graduate, especially if you are on or about to be on spring break, this is something important to think about. Is there someone you know well enough that simply passing a resume may get you an interview or position? Have you built contacts and relationships with those in the professions you are most passionate about that you feel comfortable talking to them about an internship, apprenticeship, or shadowing that will help you take that next step in a journey of professional achievement?

For some, job searching in our desired careers requires a lot of "cold calling" and looking up ads. Identifying contacts with the resources to get you a foot in the door makes the process far easier.

Quick Hit on Networking Benefits

Several professional career advisers are harping on the do's and don'ts of networking right now (h/t Alexandra Levitt, among others). This is among the toughest skills to develop when pursuing a career and building your portfolio in the fields you are most passionate about, especially if you are not exposed to training programs in school or at work that help you with the process. Family and friends will attest that I am, by no means, an expert on it, especially when I am forced to stand face-to-face with someone I know little or nothing about in an awkward social setting.

Experience also have taught me that the benefits you reap from networking are directly related (and in some cases, magnified) to the investment you make in building relationships and maintaining them actively. A networking contact I have known, advised, and sought advice from in my professional field over the last eight months surprised me earlier this week with a random "thought of you email" that included a forward of some very valuable information. These moments when valuable, applicable knowledge present themselves from someone else are not possible without developing the contacts and relationships that encourage others to make the extra effort on your behalf, and vice versa.