During my MBA, I saw some people who would go to any length to hide which companies they were interviewing with for a job. Their fear was that others would also apply for the same job and wreck their chances.
Of course, one could probably argue that since the number of open positions was limited, they wanted to minimize competition. But I have seen these people being unhelpful even after they got a job and were very well settled in a company.
This is the classic zero-sum mindset – “If somebody wins, I lose.’
In my life, whenever I have received help, it has always been from friends who are themselves doing well. If someone is struggling for a job and has no money, how can they help anyone?
The best way to increase your chances of success is to know successful people. And the best way to be connected with successful people is to see your friends and acquaintances succeed.
When your friends win, you win. And when you win, your friends win. That is how the world works.
Rajan