"It's not what you know, but who you know" is a famous saying commonly used in business or government. The origin of the phrase is unclear, but the two most contested points of origin are both citations newspaper articles:
- The Electrical Worker, May 1914
"Many devious forces apparently also control the conditions of advancement and preference, and a phrase that is often heard is to the effect that
it's not what you know that counts so much, as who you know!" (pg. 233; col. 1)
- New York Tribune, "U. S. to Act to Oust Ship Work Slackers," 22 September 1918
"PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 21.-The shipyard workers along the Delaware River have adopted a war slogan all of their own. It is:
'It's not what you know; it's who you know.'" (pg. 9; col. 1)
