English · Proverb Attested

it's not what you know but who you know

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: it's not what you know but whom you know

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Thành công không chỉ dựa vào kiến thức mà còn dựa vào mối quan hệ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Eighty-four students referred to political influence as a disadvantage of federal employment with such remarks as: "There are too many political connections necessary . . . it's not what you know but who you know—in spite of apparent merit systems."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “it's not what you know but who you know” mean?

For success, and especially to obtain employment, one's knowledge and skills are less useful and less important than one's network of personal contacts.

Is “it's not what you know but who you know” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.