Networking is quite different in my book. There is no event - it's a call to an old friend who now works as a VP at a different company. It's a lunch with another pm on the last project. It's a beer with ex colleges to see who found greener pastures. It's a coffee with someone I don't have 1 on 1 anymore but we do it anyway because he catched a big carp and want to show the pictures.

If you need a new job you can reach out to them and they will help. If you have plan you have people to talk about and maybe find someone willing to help.