For many fresh graduates, job portals might seem like the obvious route - but often, networking proves more effective. According to The Economic Times, job portals do provide a large number of opportunities and access across companies, yet networking and referrals are frequently faster ways to get hired because your resume is less likely to be lost in a pile.

Networking helps tap into the “hidden job market,” meaning roles that are never advertised publicly. Thanks to referrals, internal hiring, or word-of-mouth, many of these roles go to candidates recommended by someone inside the company or via contacts at career fairs, alumni meetups, or industry events.

Additionally, networking provides more credibility. When someone vouches for you, hiring managers are likelier to pay attention to your application. This can help freshers overcome common barriers like lack of experience or overly competitive applicant pools on portals. 

That said, job portals do have their place - especially for getting awareness of the market, seeing what skills are in demand, and applying broadly. The most effective strategy for fresh graduates is combining both: use portals to explore, and leverage networking to move forward and stand out.