Current colleagues and bosses would have to cycle out themselves and land elsewhere before they will be a help as a network resource.

Also, for current colleagues—-consider the case if your whole team gets RIF’d. At that point they are no longer your colleague, nor really a good network resource until they land. What they are is a competitor and a competitor likely similarly skilled as you, competing for the same roles that you are.

Your best network resources don’t currently work with you, but are secure in a gig, and someone you have worked with or for in the last 3-5 years.