Not sure if it’s helpful, but pivotal steps in my career path involved unintentional networking.

Started working at a call center reading scripts and calling it “tech support” from that job I made friends with a coworker with a similar interest in computers. A few years later he was working in-house IT for a major company and referred me.

A few years in that field and I made friends with another coworker who got me interested in scripting / coding. A few years later after meeting that friend, he was working as a software developer and referred me to my first coding job.

Once my foot was in the door I would learn and grow in each position until I felt like I stopped growing my skillset and I would find a new job where I could build new skills.

It helps that I have a genuine interest and enjoyment in learning and improving my skills. Computers and technology just happened to be the skillet that people started to pay me for. I could have just as easily ended up a machinist, contractor, chef or any other profession sparked by a personal interest of mine.

This. It doesn’t matter how competent you are. It’s all about connections.

I mean , a minimum competence is the bar. I’m not recommending someone who is going to make me look bad if they get hired. But if you’re ok and my friend, I’ll recommend you and it’s more likely you’ll be hired over someone really good, but who doesn’t know anyone.