[danwee]

The rational part of my brain says: networking matters, for obvious reasons.

Having said that, I have over 10 years of experience in the software industry, and my network "size" is essentially zero. I get along well with my peers when at job, but once I switch to another job, the only "link" between my old peers and me is linkedin. I have never relied on others to get a job, I have never recommended anyone... not because I don't like to do those things, but simply because I could get a job the usual way (Apply button). I've attended a couple of conferences (but only because the company was paying and because I was going already with some of my peers).

I don't keep the contact with the people I met at university either (I live now in another country, although this sounds more like an excuse in the era of the internet).