A Hand Up The Ladder

We're constantly told how important personal connections are when taking the next step on the career ladder. It is said that 70% of all vacancies are filled by personal recommendations and connections.

Last month I had the pleasure of meeting with Lori Friedman. Lori is the former COO of AOL UK. Lori's story underlines the importance of personal connections.

Back in 2000, Lori was looking for her next career move. She saw the post of COO of AOL UK advertised and felt that it would be the ideal next step for her. Applying for the job, she soon found herself meeting with the agency retained to lead the search. Despite what she felt was a positive interview, Lori didn't hear any more.

About six months later, Lori was talking to a client of hers, Neil Thomson of St. Lukes Advertising Agency. During the conversation, Lori found out that Neil's wife is Karen Thomson who was, at the time, CEO of AOL. Lori mentioned that job that she had applied for. Neil grabbed her CV and took it back to his wife, telling her all about Lori and how she would be perfect for the role.

The rest is history!