My perspective is to stop "networking" (unless you are in sales/bd) and develop friendships instead. Meet friends of friends at dinner parties, house parties,

My perspective is to stop "networking" (unless you are in sales/bd) and develop friendships instead. Meet friends of friends at dinner parties, house parties, birthdays, baby showers, game nights, etc. I used to host poker nights, board game nights and chess nights where I'd invite people from different friend circles so they could get to know each other, and they could in turn bring their own friends. For people more senior than you, seek to be in their company when their guard is down (i.e. they are not in "work mode"). Activity groups tend to facilitate this. From time to time you can just start talking to someone cold (I guess it's kind of like making a move on a member of the opposite gender at a bar/cafe). I met one of my good friends and a great programmer because we were sitting next to each other at the bar seats at a brunch joint, and I struck up a conversation with him about the book he was reading (Wealth of Nations). That was 3 years ago and we still meet up on a monthly basis to talk about anything from our careers to philosophy. Say "yes" to all invitations (but don't go to "networking events"!). Make yourself available. Just generally be around people. But know yourself -- don't go to places that you don't like (for me, that's bars!), or force yourself to interact people who you just don't get along with. Being more effective and energized and excited to talk to 10% of the population beats being blase about trying to interact with 100% of the population, any day.