Anyone can send a LinkedIn invitation. Networking masters build habits that help create deep ties over time.
Ask successful people for career advice, and they’ll mention networking, for good reason. It works. That doesn’t stop people from hating the idea, though. One recent study on networking found words used to describe the process included “fake,” “deceitful,” and “disingenuous.” With such a negative connotation, no wonder it’s easy to underinvest in building a network.