The power of your network and how it unlocks hidden jobs

While a CV is essential for spotlighting your qualifications, your "circle", the network you build, is often just as critical, if not more so, for career progression and overall well‑being.

A strong network grants access to opportunities, insights, support, and perspectives that a CV alone simply can't offer.

Joyce Irungu reflects on the pivotal role her network played in landing her job. “It was a new company starting to work in Nakuru, and they were looking to employ enumerators. Since I had worked in a similar setup, I was referred to the organization and that’s how I got the job,” she recounts.

She emphasizes how the referral from someone she knew through a data‑collection assignment in her hometown of Molo made all the difference.

Without that connection, she adds, she wouldn’t have known about the opportunity or even gotten it.

Career Coach Douglas Wanjala underscores why your circle is so vital noting, “Every person that you'll ever meet knows something that you don't. In a world saturated with opportunities and competition, there’s what we call the hidden job market, jobs that aren’t publicized and make up about 70 to 80 percent of all the roles available.”

He explains that most job platforms represent just a fraction of the opportunities that are available in the market.

 “It’s through networking that one can tap into otherwise unknown opportunities,” Wanjala adds.

According to him, in today’s world, conventional job‑search methods might fall short.

“Networks come in handy with warm introductions since people prefer to work with people they trust, making it easier to bypass usual competition,” he notes.

Wanjala emphasizes that a robust network doesn't just open doors it builds visibility, credibility, and trust.

“While a CV highlights skills and experience, your network provides a more holistic view of your character, work ethic, and interpersonal skills.”

He notes that a well‑crafted CV is vital, but it’s your circle of influence that truly amplifies it and by nurturing relationships, you gain access to hidden opportunities, receive invaluable guidance, and elevate your professional and personal life in ways that a CV alone can’t match.