I used to play frisbee golf with another programmer who taught me a lot. I've partnered on a couple of startup projects with a great programmer who I found via

I used to play frisbee golf with another programmer who taught me a lot. I've partnered on a couple of startup projects with a great programmer who I found via someone who a buddy of mine worked with. My first full-time job as a developer came when another buddy's girlfriend started her own digital agency. None of these relationships were "networking", persay, and I don't think the relationships would have been fruitful to either me or the other person if we kept wondering what we could get out of the relationship. It was just giving and taking and making an effort to be human with another person. I think you'll find that having a big "network" is the result of being someone people like as well as putting yourself out there a lot. Putting yourself out there could mean attending networking events or joining an outdoor club or just going to see a certain band a lot. I suspect you'll find that- all else being equal- having a big network is going to be really beneficial in the long run. You might not always be trying to start a startup, so try to build your relationships for the long run and enjoy the person as a person... not as a stepping stone.