Work hard and you get to where you want to be and land good jobs, right? While that works for most people, Reddit user @lexaprogoalie begs to differ. The unnamed student, whose disclaimers include “not white, nor am I rich” took to Reddit to share a secret that they have found most intriguing about success.
According to them, hard work alone is not enough to attain success in your future career. It is your connections that matter — a game of who knows who. The student detailed in their post that they have a part-time job as a server in a country club. Stating that working at a place where rich and successful people gather is basically a “networking event” that quite literally pays off.
“You talk to so many well-connected people and in turn make so many connections [yourself], and in ways that you wouldn’t even expect. You get business owners, doctors, etc. and if they aren’t doing what you want to do, they almost 100% know someone who does and they will hook you up,” they tell the Reddit community r/LifeProTips.
Scoring amazing job opportunities
As a result of all the fake smiles, small talk, and excellent customer service, the student shared that they scored a “pretty solid” medical internship because of one of their regulars who had a friend who works in healthcare. The part-time server also helped a friend land a pretty decent house-sitting job because another regular at the country club was going out of town and needed someone to look after their house.
User @lexaprogoalie described it as “LinkedIn in real life” except instead of having to do the legwork of sending requests just to connect, working at such places helps you cross paths naturally. Another tip the user mentioned about these jobs is that rich people tend to tip very well, something that goes a long way for struggling students.
Reddit users chime in on the pros and cons
This method of getting good jobs isn’t for everyone, cautions the original poster (OP): “You do have to service rich people and occasionally they can be just unholy and very entitled (most of my regulars are absolute dears). It’s also a lot of fake laughing, but I feel like that’s most customer-facing roles anyways. You do have to put in some time getting to know your regular patrons. It’s also still a job, so you’ll have to work.”
There isn’t a perfect way to do it either, you still have to “suck up” to regulars and patrons but the benefits are worthwhile. “Does it suck that it’s the way it is? Absolutely. But I’ll be doing everything I can to succeed in a system that wants me to lose,” OP adds.
OP received an overwhelmingly positive response, with most of the replies agreeing that privilege and connections trump hard work alone. One user commented:
Paying for private school apparently pays off, according to another user @oh-go-on-then:
User @PecanSama compared this strategy to how “regular people try so hard to send their kids to private school” despite not being able to afford it — just for the connections. “Ditto for colleges. The curriculum at Harvard is indistinguishable from that of any decent public university, but your classmate at Harvard is much more likely to introduce you to a rich uncle who can fund your startup,” user @Skyblacker agrees.
Key takeaways for students
Although anyone can have an active social life, it is an art to cultivate the right contacts. Knowing wealthy people, at least according to these Reddit users, has more advantages than disadvantages. Here’s how you can also emulate the tactic user @lexaprogoalie used to get good jobs:
- Hang out at the right spots — Change your perception of “boring” places. If there’s one thing the rich and wealthy look for, it is privacy, peace, and quiet. Look out for banks, conference halls, lectures, workshops, seminars, golf courses, and upscale bars.
- Get good jobs at good places — Whether it’s a coworker or top management, most people who work in big companies have something they can offer: a referral, a good word, a promotion, or a new connection. This is why where you get an internship or where you work is a very important aspect of kick starting your career.
- Attend the classiest parties in town — A swanky address equals a classy party, which means many of the attendees are probably not your average Joe. You could meet not just the rich but also the famous if you get lucky!
- Invest in an expensive hobby — While this might not be good for your bank account, it does help you blend in. Taking up an expensive hobby will give you direct access to important people, and a shared interest is more likely to make them open up and trust you. Unlike the other options, investing in a new passion makes you a more rounded person and saves you from the dreaded small talk.
Read the entire Reddit thread here.