The Day I Knocked on a Familiar Door

You know how everyone in business school keeps hammering on about networking, but it always sounds so cold and corporate? Well, this week, as part of my career preparation journey, I decided to actually put that theory to the test. I planned an in-person resume drop at DigiMark.

But here’s the twist: the Business Development Manager there is Muhammad Salman, someone I already know personally.

Now, you might think knowing the guy makes it easy. Honestly? It made me more nervous. When you’re dropping in on a friend or an acquaintance at their actual workplace, the challenge shifts. You aren’t trying to trick a cold gatekeeper; you’re trying to pivot a casual relationship into a serious, professional conversation. I didn’t want to just send a lazy WhatsApp text asking for a job. I wanted to show him I mean business.

So, I printed out a fresh, customized copy of my resume, put on my best professional attire, and walked right into the DigiMark office.

When I met Salman, the vibe instantly shifted from casual to focused. I gave him a relaxed but structured 30-second elevator pitch. I introduced myself not just as the guy he knows, but as Muhammad Aqeel Shahid — an IBA Punjab University student and a versatile initiator who has built digital workflows and managed media production. I told him straight up that I wanted to bring that exact grit and adaptability to DigiMark’s business development team.

Looking back, the biggest challenge was just fighting the urge to keep things casual. It takes a lot of conscious effort to look someone you know in the eye and pitch your professional worth without sounding awkward or rehearsed.

But seeing his positive reaction made the whole experiment worth it. My biggest takeaway from this? The “extra mile” isn’t crowded because most people are too afraid to step onto it. If you have a connection, don’t just wait for them to see a post on your LinkedIn. Show up, hand them a physical resume, and let them see your drive in person. It changes everything.