networking woes

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hallo.

so, everyone goes on and on about how you must build a strong and active network of people to have a career. I know this is true, and i do try and engage with it as much as i can, but going to social events and meetups is stressful for me, and usually, i just end up drinking too heavily and hanging out on the fringes of the group.

this is not unusual for me; i used to go to parties and hang out in the least populated areas, or find a video game console to occupy myself with. but i would still put myself through the torture of going to these social events because "i had to" for whatever reason.

now, that reason is building a network to strengthen my career, but honestly... i don't feel strong enough. i look at other people's reels of past work, and my reel looks like a preschooler's in comparison. i think to myself: "maybe i am in the wrong field", but i love my work when i am working on it... i just think that my work suffers because i can't get the positions i want because i'm "defective", and i have to choke it back so people will think that i'm normal, when i am so obviously not normal.

does anyone else share my sentiments?

All too well.

It sure seems like 90% of all jobs/careers is bloody socializing, networking, making friends/connections and promoting friends... it has little or nothing to do with actual work skills or ability.

The Peter Principle described that quite well... a boss who's reached incompetence and unable to do his job, ALSO can't judge the competency of others so he has to judge based on things he CAN measure, like punctuality, friendliness and how clean their desk is. Seriously.

*puts gun in mouth*

i only recently heard of the Peter Principle. It does seem to work, but no one listens to science! (i realize this is social science, so... let's use the word "science" here to mean "knowledge")