I spend considerable time combing through job opportunities, advertisements, etc. But something tells me it will all boil down to “who you know” in the end. Is this true?

Molly D. Shepard, president of Shepard Executive Resources in Philadelphia, says: “In counseling high-level executives and physicians, I have found that at least 85 percent of the really good, exciting jobs are found through personal contacts.
There is no doubt that networking is the one key skill for any job hunter.  Networking serves many functions: It can lead to discovery of available jobs, introductions to influential people in your field, and priceless feedback on how well you’re presenting yourself, how effective your resume is, and how realistic your goals are.  Who’s good to network with? Everyone. People you meet in the course of your day, or identify by doing Internet research, or talk to on the phone, or know as an opinion leader in your field can all help. You can never tell who will lead you to your next job.