It's who you know, yes - but it's also what you do with them

"It's not what you know, it's who you know," the saying goes.

Somewhat true, but there's more to it than that.

What does the person think of you?

First, knowing someone is more helpful when that person thinks of you as a winner.

One of my candidates, who'd been a product of the west coast - grew up there, went to college there, first job was there - somehow moved all the way across the country for his second job.

I asked him how that happened.

"I'd worked with [so-and-so] at my first job," he explained. "That person was then hired by [new company] as CEO."

So he dropped the new CEO a line - they'd likely had only occasional passing contact at the old job - the CEO remembered the guy favorably, opened a door, and the person was hired.

Nice, confident, gutsy technique - that only would have worked, had the CEO remembered the person in a good way.

As an executive with whom I interviewed early in my career put it: "I'll believe anything you say... for three months." After that, results count, and talk and promises are meaningless.

Do you "know" them only when it's convenient for you?

Even if you're phenomenal, "who you know" only counts if you make the effort to stay in contact.

A young professional I know earned a summer internship at a local TV station.

Part way through the internship, she was talking to the sports director, who'd gone to the same college as her mother. It so happened that her grandfather, a onetime NFL executive, had signed the first press pass the sports director ever wore, when he was early in his career.

The young intern and the sports director talked quite a bit through the rest of the internship, and on her last day, he told her that he was good friends with a news director in a nearby market, "and keep in touch - I'd be happy to open a door for you when you finish college."

That's the way it's supposed to be done... except - except the woman never kept in touch.

She could have connected with him on LinkedIn. She didn't.

She could have gotten a recommendation from him, on LinkedIn or otherwise. She didn't.

When she returned home for a long winter break, she could have taken him to lunch; he'd have loved to have heard from her. She didn't.

That spring, she scored an even harder-to-get internship for the upcoming summer. She could have reached out to her would-be mentor to share the good news, and thank him for his help. She didn't.

Fast-forward to the end of her senior year. Her internships and in-field work on campus had won her plaudits and awards. Her grades had gone from subpar as a freshmen, to superior as a senior, increasing every year. Yet she didn't really have a line of sight on a job. The "open a door when you finish college" offer from 21 months earlier would have been most welcome. But she'd not kept in touch.

Beyond that, the wife of her supporter from the TV station worked for the business school of a major university in the area; she was their liaison to businesses all through the region who hired its graduates. Her husband might have opened one door; this woman could have opened dozens.

As it turned out, the high-achieving intern who didn't keep in touch turned her prior summer internship into a post-degree job that she enjoyed, and in which she flourished.

But part of that success derived from belatedly mastering the "keep in touch" piece for which she dropped the ball as a student.

Congratulations on doing the hard part - now get the easy part right!

Doing a good job is hard. Being noticed doing a good job might be harder. Being appreciated and remembered for your hard work and great results is hardest of all.

Have you "done the hard part" by nailing all three?

Great! Now do the easy part. Keep in touch with those who hold you in high regard. You'll never know the doors they might open for you, or the magic you might make by again working together.