ever since i learned abt the concept of networking i knew i was going to have to do everything alone and do it the hard way
i believe i can do everything in this life except feign interest and suck up to people
So... don’t. Networking is just keeping in touch with people you meet and knowing enough about their skillset and activities that you know who to ask for help (or offer help) when opportunities arise.
Some of the most professionally useful connections I've made in my life so far are:
guy who was also part of an informal group that skived off the official 'networking' event at a conference and went on an ad-hoc gelato-and-grappa crawl of Milan that got increasingly raucous as the evening progressed
guy who I helped blow up a car one time
guy who I met on the smoking patio at another conference and ended up talking to for an hour and completely missing a keynote because [chemical] stability conditions were more interesting for both of us
lady who I walked research subjects for when she was studying dog psychology
guy who I was on a quiz team with in undergrad
my Master's supervisor's other former student, who I actually met for the first time at yet another conference on the other side of the planet
Networking as she is described is the fucking worst but you don't have to do that. With all the people mentioned above, I just... made a point of keeping in touch because I liked them (email to say hi at New Year and/or on relevant major religious holiday if I know their religion, 'hey congrats on the new job', very low-touch), and when stuff comes up, they remember me and I remember them and we can help each other out.
I feel seen.
