When I graduated from the University of Virginia, there was a recession. But that didn’t change the fact that I needed a job. With a trunk full of hope and my brother Rick’s couch to crash on, I drove to Boston and launched what I hoped would be a strategic and productive job search.

During college, I had worked as a teaching assistant for a class on Career Planning and Job Seeking. I loved helping my classmates craft resumes, plan their futures, and most of all, learn the art of networking. A huge part of the class covered how to connect with others, how to build meaningful professional relationships, and how to make those connections work. As I crossed into Massachusetts, I knew I was about to put all of that theory into practice.

My goal was to find a job where I could continue to teach and coach others on the very same content I’d just finished facilitating at UVA. I made a paper list (there weren’t Excel spreadsheets then) of every junior college, community college, and university within a 20-mile radius of Boston — public or private, big or small. I tracked down the name and address of the director of career services at each school. Then I started smiling and dialing.

Throughout the summer, I contacted more than 98 directors, co-directors, and staff members of career planning offices. I created a huge binder with a page for each place I contacted, 70 in total. Some people refused to meet with me.

When they did, I politely asked if they could suggest someone else “who might have more time to help a recent graduate during a recession.” Many suggested a phone call instead of a campus visit, but I always replied, “I don’t mind the commute, I’d really prefer to meet in person.”

The truth? Boston driving terrified me. I often relied on public transportation, which meant complicated transfers and long walks. But I was convinced that meeting face-to-face would make a difference.

And it did.

The in-person meetings lasted longer. The conversations were warmer. There was more laughter, more shared stories, more depth. When we met in person, it was easier to find common ground. I could read the bulletin boards in their offices and see what jobs were being posted. I got a feel for the campus culture and environment. Every detail helped.

And still it was daunting. It was hot and I was frequently lost. I was working very hard but I didn’t have any income and most of all, I was getting a lot of rejection. It was hard to keep my spirits up, but I needed and wanted a job! I was also discouraged because my friends who had accounting and engineering degrees were getting multiple job offers with lucrative salaries. I had to do a lot of positive self-talk, reminding myself that everyone is different, and I wouldn’t be able to do the work that was required of those engineers.

Even when someone didn’t love their job, they usually loved talking about it, and I listened with genuine interest. At the end of each meeting, I asked who else I might talk to. I asked for names, numbers, and organizations they belonged to. I asked when the next professional gathering was happening. These small questions often opened the next door, and then the next one after that.

Eventually, just a few days before the academic year started, I had two job offers. I chose Bay State Junior College for one very practical reason: it was in the heart of Boston. No need for terrifying commutes. It felt like a city school and I wanted all the opportunity being in the city provided.

Even after I was hired, I kept using my binder. Some of those interviews had turned into real connections, and several people became my mentors, my sounding boards, and my guides for years to come. Now, years later, the tools of networking have evolved. LinkedIn. Zoom. Emails. Spreadsheets. But one thing hasn’t changed: people still want to help each other.

Sometimes, in our fast-paced, automated world, we forget that personal connection is what makes the biggest difference. A sincere conversation, a thoughtful question, or an in-person meeting will do more than a dozen online applications ever will.

So how do we connect in the digital age?

We adapt our methods while keeping the heart of networking intact.

We listen with curiosity and learn about others. We follow up with gratitude and appreciation. We stay organized and strategic, using and appreciating online methods. We begin our time together, especially our LinkedIn and other meetings, with kindness, not requests. We try, whenever possible, even in this electronic age, to meet in person. While it’s a lot more work and effort, it creates more opportunity.

What I learned from my experience, binder in hand, is that relationships get jobs, not resumes.

• Personal connection is timeless. Technology evolves, but human generosity endures.

• Networking is about building relationships, not asking for favors.

• Face-to-face (or voice-to-voice) interactions are still gold.

• Be curious. Be brave. Be consistent and don’t stop! And always ask, “Who else should I talk to?”

• Your next opportunity might start with a conversation, not a click.

How have personal connections made a difference in your professional life?