This cat does a lot of networking at meetups and conferences. Even after I toned it down a bunch.
These things have positives and sometimes they don't have any value at all.
There is a saying: Your Net Worth is Equal to Your Network
For the most part it rings true. Having a good network can provide knowledge that is beneficial, lead to synergies for work or business and be a place for partnerships and business opportunities.
We all only have so much time in a day, thus we are all striving to get value for our time.
Going to a networking meetup can certainly be a value add experience. Whether you meet a new like minded acquaintance or contact for some kind of service you need or just learn new things from the group.
However, you can certainly overdue this experience. With so many groups and meetups online and in real life one can get shiny object syndrome and become overwhelmed trying to be part of it all.
When it comes to these type events I like to ask myself the following:
The first couple questions are for when you have gone to something a few times. The last couple are for when you have been going for a while.
We grow through time and sometimes a gathering that once added value may no longer do so. At that point, you can be the one adding value, but finding another event that adds value to you is worth exploring.
It is kind of like passing the torch
