This is probably orthogonal to the conversation but I’ve found (later in life) that networking is the single most important thing you can do if you want to find success in business. That’s how I advise younger folks to see the world too.
As an introvert this has been a painful lesson to learn, but the reality for me is that I’ve only landed jobs at 2 out of the 7 companies I’ve worked for in my tech career where I didn’t know someone that would vouch for me from the inside.