This is true: A job doesn't necessarily create a professional network OR a friend network. The vast majority of people I worked with at my previous job were ass

This is true: A job doesn't necessarily create a professional network OR a friend network. The vast majority of people I worked with at my previous job were assholes and generally awful and boring people. The cool and successful people already left. Another issue is ambitious coworkers may keep others at a distance to prioritize their economic interests ahead of personal ones. There are pockets of good people everywhere but there's no magic recipe to find 100% concentration of them. One just has to put out good energy and be open.