"I'm not on the inside."
Have you ever heard that excuse from some sad seeker of employment? Have you ever lowered yourself to employ the excuse yourself? My guess if you've encountered one if not both cases.
It's a common story – and a common excuse. People think they can't succeed because they're not part of the "inside" the elite group, the . . . well whatever elite or group or team of influencers that makes things happen. We fear we're not connected, never going to be connected, and are thus going to fail.
I won't lie – connections are important in career and life. Networking and being connected pays off in far more ways than just a job search. Decrying it however misses the point.
You're not "on the inside"? Then build your own inside. In fact, you're a progeek, you have an entire "inside" just waiting to happen.