It is “who knows you” that makes the difference.
A very salient point. I like it a lot!
And what you speak about is something I have written about before in regards to the company I work for. Probably about 70% of the employees have been recommended for the position from internals. This isn't cronyism - it is about trust that runs along several lines. People have to be sure before recommending, because it is going to affect their network.