Both channels work, but they work differently - and in a market where AI screens most online applications, a human introduction is more valuable than ever. The smart approach is not choosing one; it is using online applications for reach and networking for the roles you really want, with AI supporting both.
Where each channel wins
- Online applications - broad reach, easy volume, but heavy AI filtering and competition
- Networking - fewer opportunities, but a human referral can bypass the filter entirely
A referral often turns a rejected-by-algorithm application into an interview.
Why networking is rising in value
As AI screening tightens, a personal recommendation is one of the few reliable ways to reach a human decision-maker directly. That does not make online applications useless - it makes them your baseline, with networking as your edge, especially given how AI resume screening works.
Use AI to strengthen both
- Online - tailor each application fast so it survives screening
- Networking - research people and companies, prepare for conversations, follow up well
- Both - build genuine AI fluency so you have something worth talking about
The bottom line
Use online applications for reach and networking for your priority roles - and let AI sharpen both. The most durable advantage, though, is being genuinely skilled, which the AI courses at London School of Business UK, including Strategic Application of AI in Business, help you build. Enquire today.