Hmmph! "No contact" has landed Deepika in Khan's hitlist  thanks to her I-don't-know-you-anymore attitude

It is not what you know. It is not who you know. It is what you know about who you know. And this knowledge can speed up the vertical climb. It might take time to make contacts, but once you have made them, they are your most valuable asset. Networking within your professional circle, especially with those who have influenced your career in the early days, never backfires.

Staying in touch with your ex  colleagues might demand out-of-the-way efforts, but ignoring them completely, might be a risky affair altogether, especially if you don't want to land up with a reputation like Deepika's.

Here's why Deepi needs a crash course in networking
Most powerful way to build professional relationships
Helps in actively fostering contacts
Disseminates information
Opens better career opportunities
Opens avenues for reaching out to new customers, future business partners
Allows you to present yourself and your networking objective in a much more personal way VS an advertisement

These 4 tell you why it's necessary to stay in touch with old bosses and colleagues >>
You stay updated with the industry
Rajeeta Hemwani, VP Content, Universal Music
Keeping in touch with ex colleagues is important because people stay in the same industry, and the world is small. You may have to work with the same people again. Keeping in touch with senior employees also keeps you updated on industry happenings.

It makes life easy!
Mansi Shah, Assistant Manager HR, Insta Group
Most successful higher ups stay in touch with all their colleagues from past jobs, if you notice. Being in touch makes life easy. One should never forget to send acknowledgement messages or occasion-based wishes (birthdays and festivals) to those who have been helpful to you in the past.

Industries are like close-knit families
Vikram Mangalvedhe, Assistant Manager, US Mortgages Adventity
Word gets around, and so, it's important to have a good reputation. Not staying in touch with senior employees who have given you a break, creates the wrong impression.

You never know who you may need, when
Abhishek Nichani, Manager-Marketing and Sales, Indiantelevision.com
It is important to stay in touch with influential people from your previous workplace above and beyond your co-workers, because you never know who could be resourceful in the future.

While networking, remember...
Be sincere
Don't ask for (or expect) payback
Respect other people's time
Follow through on promises
Use special care with referred "friends"
Don't make disparaging jokes
Err on the side of politeness and formality
Don't wait to be properly introduced. Practise self-introduction
Don't forget to use pleasantries like "thank you"