If "networking" means talking to headhunters then I feel better about not doing it. I've never understood the concept of "networking" as just talking to somebo

If "networking" means talking to headhunters then I feel better about not doing it. I've never understood the concept of "networking" as just talking to somebody socially and giving an elevator talk or whatever. It reduces the entire process to schmooze, and lots of people talk a good line of bullshit. (Yeah, I'm shocked and disillusioned by the fact that people are shocked and disillusioned by the fact that some of their favorite bloggers are crap programmers.) Schmooze is a valuable talent, but it has very little to do with programming, so it would seem foolish to let your hiring practices be influenced by it. I assume that anyone considering hiring me won't care whether I'm referred by a headhunter or submit my resume directly, since it tells them nothing about how good a developer or coworker I am. The only network I value is the network of people I've actually worked with, plus their friends. How would anybody know whether I'm a good developer and a good coworker without working with me, or talking to somebody they trust who did work with me, or (much less accurate, but better than "networking") actually interviewing me and asking me hard questions?