An old adage that is often used is “it is not what you know; it’s who you know.” I believe that this is how the world runs. Of course with any knowledge comes power, however knowing the right people allows you to access even more power. You are able to gain the power of influence just by networking. This can be exemplified on a smaller scale, for an ordinary college student trying to make it in this competitive world and climb the career ladder or it can go as big as into international politics with countries looking out what’s best for them and whom they know rather than what is right. The concept of networking works on a personal and political level and it creates this power of influence that leaves people feeling unequal and with a lack of opportunities. The vastness and quality of a person’s social and professional network can dramatically develop their career potential. Developing your network and trying to understand these people will allow the amount of opportunities you have to grow. For example, the economy in the recent years has taken a beating and we are still trying to recover. The unemployment was high and competition was as hard as ever and companies seemed to have the tendency to hire based off referrals. According to the New York Times, in 2015 large companies like Ernest & Young show that 45% of non-entry level hires came from referrals compared to only 28 percent in 2010. This type of power can lead to an unhealthy way of thinking; it creates a jealousy towards those who are successful in their field because you might be even more fit for the job than they are but because of their relationships they were offered the job. When applying to the University of Southern California, their compelling argument as to why I should choose them was how big the networking system is and that Trojans care for Trojans. This gives the students of the University an advantage compared to the students that go to the University of California, Los Angeles because USC heavily believes that the people you know will get you further in your career path than only having knowledge. A study conducting what career life is like for USC students after graduating indicates that 40 percent of alumni admit that USC contributed to their success. The university's philosophy is that when you meet a fellow Trojan currently or an alumni, that connection that you possess will allow you to better your current state. (Continue)
One of the biggest areas of student involvement at USC is Greek life in which students join certain houses and become “brothers” and “sisters”. Twenty percent of usc student population is a part of a fraternity or sorority and one of the reasons that so many people join is because of the connections that they will gain. For example, with every new semester a new Facebook is created for its members and this is where girls can post about how their current job is looking for new employees and if someone is interested they can reach out and that's one step closer to getting employed than they were a day ago. (add more)
To put this power of influence on a larger scale, I’d like to look at the Israel-Palestine conflict and how the western world impacts the outcome. Israel was created in 1947 after World War II when Great Britain promised the Jewish people a land of their own. The result of this creation led to an everlasting conflict, which has ultimately ended in what looks like a never ending war. This has left the Palestinian people in a difficult situation and wondering who they can consider friends. Israel became a developed country that had the western world on its side. The United States of America funds about three billion dollars yearly to the Israeli military, and they did this because they realized that the way to consolidate and increase their power is to gain as much possible control over international relations by means of collecting as many ally and proxies as possible. This example strengthens the concept that who you know can help you and your cause.