If your neighbors loudly proclaim they’re doing everything they can to get their child into an elite college, you might feel like a bad parent for not doing the same. But it’s important to remember that not all graduates are chasing the same jobs with technology firms, global consultancies or the latest Silicon Valley startup. In reality, most people’s careers unfold close to where they grew up or attended college. If you get a degree in finance from Ohio State, you’ll probably get a great job at Nationwide Insurance based in Columbus. Nationwide is a terrific regional employer, but a finance degree from Harvard will lead you to Goldman Sachs. For most people, the career lottery is a regional game. Colleges’ alumni networks are densest in nearby states and cities, and alumni help new graduates get jobs. They broker introductions, write recommendations and provide quiet support, like making sure that a fellow alum’s résumé lands on the hirer’s desk. Even national firms like Deloitte and KPMG, with offices across the country, tend to fill openings locally, recruiters told me. Some are looking for regional expertise—energy in Houston, consumer banking in Chicago or finance in New York—and look for engineering or business majors at colleges nearby.