Alumni networking breakfasts, industry groups, and the like...

I'll cut to the chase. I get invited to a number of events for my alumni organization and a few other groups. I get the purpose of these and enjoy meeting people, but I'm fairly skeptical about getting tangible results from these types of events. I mean: new job, new career, new line of business, etc. I like them, but don't have a lot of latitude to take off work to attend.

I get the theory that it should happen when you bring motivated, like-minded people together - but at the same time I also wonder if this is a bit of churning to give the appearance of effort / progress. Or kind of like a self-perpetuating 'industry'.

So, anyone have success stories, or your own input?

T-bone, I'm a huge backer of well chosen networking opportunities and industry service groups. I also agree with you there is something of an industry around this and turn down ones that are just too obviously about padding the pockets of the organizer.

There is a breakfast club for local CEOs that I turned down flat. The people there, and the stated goal of the group, was just not something I needed. It was to be accountable to the group and report on your business plans to the group quarterly. The group's purpose is to "hold you accountable" for your presented plans. WTF? Like I need to pay 10k a year to join a club to have people to tell me to do my job?

However, there's another breakfast club, about the same price, and it gives entree to a wide range of city and state decision makers. The goal is to help other people get more business. I do not belong to this but I convinced Mrs. Piob's CEO to join as some of the decision makers there could clearly benefit his business, and in particular, Mrs. Piob's department. She gets to PM the contracts he has gotten out of this club and he's gotten several lucrative ones over the past several years.

I'm active in my industry groups for a couple of reasons. First, I like to help shape state policy. Second, it's a great way to find out what's happening with other folks. Third, I can control messages coming out of my place. Lastly, I want to be seen as an industry resource. Being seen like this means I get calls for advice/sounding board and that really gives me a chance to fulfill points 1-3. Very lastly, if I should ever need to make a move, I've got a large network of decision makers that see me in a positive and valuable light.

Just some ramblings.

is there a resource online where i could search for events like this in my line of work?