It’s a weird world out there, and if you are seeking to build others’ confidence in your brand, be selective and vet your market players. Not just anyone but the right ones are whom you should aim for.
But, you say, “I am a job seeker, don’t I need to know everyone and anyone?” Well, no. You need to be memorable for the right reasons to be referred.
But you comment, “If I meet as many people as I can at tradeshows and chamber events, trade business cards and connect to them on LinkedIn, won’t they help me when I need them?” Well, no. I had a situation where my business colleague and I were seeking to publicize something and his 18,00 connections he did not know return 10% of the replies that my knowing 3000 well supplied the rest of the 90%. Marinate on that.
Finally, if you dream of opportunity knocking on your door for no real reason except luck, then that’s not going to keep the heat on and the fridge stocked. Maybe once in a while, but you really want to eat at least thrice daily 365 days a year, right?
Jobhunting, prospect hunting, deer hunting, all the same genetically. Networking is a means to hunting, but you seek quality catches in your net, not a mirage from yet another unproductive hike and return with no results.
It’s how well you do it, not that you did it. And how you perfect it along the years, where you were most rewarded, and the ability to entice others to come with you as partners: that makes you a pro, not a “hunt and peck” network lizard, but a giver who gathers others around a conversation IRL or on LinkedIn for the purpose of helping them, and in turn you, to find the right way to supply the business funnel. Givers get, and what goes around comes around.
Does anyone have something to add here?