For example, my husband got me a job as an English teacher at a local international school. Usually, the main requirements are: 1. At least a bachelor’s degree in English (or something similar/related). 2. Be a native English speaker. 3. Have a bit of experience teaching English. Didn’t have any, but my husband put in a word for me and I got hired. Was this nepotism or networking?
I mean, to be clear, nepotism is about hiring relatives (etymologically nephews, not sure if people realize that).
You can be hired on influence rather than skill or qualifications even if you’re not blood related. I’m only now realizing that English doesn’t have a derisive word for this practice. Other languages do. In fact, had the school been public at least, the hiring process you describe would have been outright illegal where I live.
I think we’ve stumbled upon one of those cultural differences subtly encoded in language here.
And to be clear, I’m more lenient with it than my compatriots. I find building a team based on personal connection or how well you work with each other, rather than pure objective qualifications, is legitimate and can yield better results in some circumstances. Here it’s generally frowned upon culturally if that connection is pre-existing rather than identified through a recruitment process though, family relations or not.