one year ago'Networking'

I entirely agree with this chap when he talks about being in someone's company because you want to be, not for what advantages it can get you in life.

I have been in situations at conferences where you think you are having a nice chat with someone and then they get starstruck and leave suddenly - even mid-sentence on occasion - to talk to the object of their admiration.

John Scalzi's article makes for a far more articulate rant:

The most successful networkers don’t 'network.' It’s an odious term. The most successful networkers ignore the grasping patheticness of the term altogether. Rather, they talk. They laugh. They share the moment, and enjoy other people’s company; are generous with other people and help them celebrate their successes, rather than asking to scrape up against that success so some of it might crumble off on them. It works the same online and off.