Everyone keeps saying I'm not getting interviews because I'm not networking enough. Cool. Except I hate cold messaging strangers.

I hate pretending I’m excited to connect, sending LinkedIn DMs that feel like disguised begging, and forcing small talk with people I don’t know, hoping they’ll magically care about my career.

But apparently this is the game now. So here I am faking extroversion, sending polite messages, commenting on posts, and asking for quick chats. What gets me is how normalized this advice is like not everyone has a strong network and is comfortable asking strangers for favors. Yet somehow, if you don’t do this, it’s treated like your fault when you can’t find a job. I still apply to roles the normal way, but it feels like that’s no longer enough. It’s like resumes don’t matter unless they’re handed to the right person by another person.