Networking, Nepotism, and the Myth of Merit

The line between networking and nepotism is becoming thinner than we would all like to admit. As I figured out my plans for this summer, I realised that opportunities often hinge more on ‘who you know’ than what you bring to the table. Networking and nepotism are almost indistinguishable when connections are passed down like family heirlooms, and in industries where competition is fierce, access is often the real currency.

For those who don’t benefit from convenient connections, the likelihood of getting an internship is somewhat bleak. It depends entirely on a packed one-page CV, a painfully over-optimised LinkedIn profile (complete with a ‘#OpentoWork’ banner and a bio desperately trying to make “passionate about finance” sound original), and the ability to make an impression over Zoom, if they’re lucky enough to impress the automated screening system. At what point does ‘networking’ shift from being about initiative and start being about inherited advantage?

The best-case scenario? Having parents already in the industry you’re trying to break into. For those following in their parents’ footsteps, there’s an endless list of connections and names to know through them. Summer after summer, you can lean into what’s available to you and break into a competitive industry almost with ease. And by the time fourth year rolls around, you have opportunities lined up for you. Yet, this sort of nepotism doesn’t usually announce itself as such. Instead, it’s often brushed off as simply making the most of your resources, as if everyone’s resources are identical.

I can’t count how many times I’ve been told that networking is an essential skill, something anyone can develop with enough effort. But how much of this networking is really about skill, and how much is simply about being born with an invitation? 

Nepotism in hiring is no new phenomenon. It has shaped industries for centuries. In finance, family legacy hiring is so ingrained that some of the biggest banks, like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, have had formal "referral programmes" for employees' children. These programmes gave applicants a built-in leg up, adding the credibility boost that comes from having an insider vouch for you. With that endorsement, your application basically skips the line. 

Some industries are more blatant about this than others. Fashion, politics, entertainment — these are fields where networking isn’t just helpful, it's practically required. To call internships in these fields competitive still doesn’t do it justice. When firms rely on referrals or unadvertised positions, the people who already have connections are always going to be one step ahead.

In Hollywood, being the child of an A-list celebrity comes with an unshakeable label: nepo baby. Lily-Rose Depp, whose family tree is practically littered with Golden Globes, has had to address it time and time again. Sure, she had industry connections — agents, directors, and actors who already knew her — but attributing her entire career to nepotism overlooks her own artistry. The public expects nepo babies to acknowledge their privilege, to prove they truly ‘deserve’ their careers. In other industries, the conversation is quieter but the pattern isn’t all that different. No matter the industry, a well-placed last name often translates to early opportunities — only in finance, it’s framed as a ‘referral’ rather than an inherited advantage. The reality is the same: talent still matters, but having the right ties is what first opens the door.

The uncomfortable truth is that I’m a part of the problem. This summer, I’ll be interning at a private equity firm in Toronto. On paper, I went through the standard hiring process — submitted my CV, completed a series of interviews, and showed my interest in the field. But the truth is, I got the opportunity because my dad’s friend is in charge of the company. It’s clearly not a success story based on an overwhelming amount of experience, and I won’t pretend otherwise. That connection got my foot in the door, and without it, my application would have likely been just another one in the pile, leading to an inevitable rejection.

I didn’t just witness nepotism at work — I directly benefited from it. It’s awkward to admit you’ve played right into something you’re criticising. It's easy to call out the unfairness of it all, but when the opportunity landed in front of me, I didn’t turn it down. And why would I? We all want to believe our success is earned, that our achievements are our doing. But when doors open for us that remain shut for others, it’s worth asking: if given the same advantage, would anyone really say no? 

While I still had to put in the effort, I know that without that personal connection, I wouldn’t have been considered. As a first year with minimal experience in finance, I had assumed I’d have to work my way up through unanswered applications, rejections, and maybe another summer at my camp job. But this process forced me to see how different the playing field really is. Summer internships in competitive industries don’t go to the “best” candidates. They go to the ones who are in the right circles.

When someone lands an internship at a top firm because of a ‘family friend’, they’re not necessarily more qualified — they were just already on their radar. Meanwhile, others are left sending out applications in bulk, receiving rejection upon rejection, and hoping that sheer persistence will compensate for their lack of an inside introduction. 

For students without built-in connections, the cold email pipeline is a repetitive and often demoralising process. It’s an engrained routine: tailoring cover letters, attaching resumes, and sending messages into the large, dark void of some HR department, hoping for a response. Even if you do everything ‘right’ — researching the company, crafting the perfect email, following up strategically — your message is probably sitting unread in someone’s inbox while the CEO’s niece is already picking out business-casual outfits for her first day.

So, is networking just nepotism with better branding? In many ways, yes. While networking can be an active skill, something you cultivate through effort and persistence, it still depends on access, which is never distributed equally. Merit alone isn’t always enough, and as frustrating as that is, it’s key to recognise the systems at play rather than internalising every rejection as a personal failure. I think meritocracy has always been more of a comforting myth than a reality. And if networking is just nepotism with extra steps, then success isn’t just about what you bring to the table, but whether you were invited to the dinner in the first place.

Illustration by Magdalena Yiacoumi