Oh I'm playing the numbers game. Hitting up companies of all sizes. But I don't think it's something I should be doing for all your career.

>While applying for internships and new grad positions, overall I applied to more places 'as total stranger' as opposed to via referrals from friends and received responses.

I'm not a fresher, though. I have been working in the industry since '07. And yes this is how my network looks like. Zero fellow programmers, zero leads (apparently) to get work.

I never thought of the career as a chain of jobs where one job leads to recognition that helps you more easily get the next job. I thought one could do fine just looking for work in a vacuum every single time. But guess I was wrong...