On networking
I think I have such inherent distaste for networking is because I feel like there are aspects of it that are disingenuous.
Some people are experts at networking because they were raised by parents who raised them to network. You probably even know a few Network Parents because they live among us like normal people.
I’ve always heard that “It’s all about networking” and I know that it’s true. I can even understand it from an employer’s perspective. Obviously I would be more likely to hire someone who was recommended by someone I already trusted. I also understand taking advantage of connections. If a friend of mine knows the head of the HR department at a company I’m interested in you bet yo ass I’m going to take advantage of that connection. And if my aunt happens to know about a writing job that requires me to work at the beach and watch Parks and Rec while Jon Hamm gives me massages I’d be all over it and it would be stupid not to be. But I think my gripe is when networking goes too far and you can start seeing everyone you know as a potential commodity.
I have some connections on linkedin with people that I’m not a huge fan of, and occasionally I’ve found myself being like, “I should have made more of an effort to overlook the fact that he/she is a terrible human being who likes Jay Leno so that I could use their connections to my advantage,” etc.
And then it’s like, should I really? I don’t want to start thinking of every person I meet in terms of how I could maybe use them at some point and I don’t want to kiss people’s asses that I don’t like because that’s shitty and also asses taste gross (I’ve heard).
