Vent: People keep saying 'network' but they don't mean it

I just hit a small win by landing a project from a contact I made six months ago, and it made me realize something. I see so many posts telling people to 'network more' as career advice. But what they really mean is just go to events and collect business cards, which never worked for me. For this project, I met the person at a small meetup in Denver, followed up with a specific question about their work a week later, and just checked in every few months with something useful, like an article. It took half a year, but it paid off. How do you all build real connections that last, not just contacts?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamiemiller12d ago

Totally feel you on the "collect business cards" thing, that's just busy work. Your follow up method is the real key. I always try to find one real shared interest first, then my check ins are about that, not just work. It turns a contact into someone you actually remember talking to. The slow build over months is what makes it stick.

diana_foster12d ago

Exactly. That shared interest becomes your excuse to reach out without it feeling like a chore. You're not just another person asking for something, you're the person who remembers they like obscure horror films or baking sourdough. It builds a real connection that lasts way longer than any stack of business cards.