Please maintain your professional social contacts!
It's fine not to have a native interest in that. But it's part of the job. No blog or bragging needed. No Linkedin needed even, if you really don't want that one. Catalog and maintain some minimal contact with these people who have seen your work: bosses, colleagues, juniors, vendors, consultants, anyone. Expose a few EXTRA people now and then, so they can see your work. This way, when you need to find a new job after many years hidden in just one department, you will have all these people who moved - sometimes frequently - and only wished they could have taken you with them at the time.
And that has nothing to do with "10x" - no matter the skill level you think you have, you'll be better off with a wide set of people who know you. "Know you" to any degree - often people will prefer you to going through the circus of interviewing for pretty random results.
Someone followed up and then deleted - but good questions: We fear imposing on the others. We don't know what to message about. How often? What do we have in common? And I expect most of us have the same concerns.
Anyone has interesting recipes on this?
I feel that more or less we all have these concerns. One of the solutions is to recognize that both sides of the message will have the same concerns. The other person is then grateful that you did it - instead of bothered. They may well decline - but not angry at you - and accept the next time around 2 years later. What we have in common? We work in the same industry - that's what we have in common. It's enough. And you want to stay in touch with the ones who understand that this matters anyway, the others... less so.
Someone posted on HN ages ago about fishing for lunch dates. I have used this one. Having lunch once every few years with an ex-colleague works well. And applies to all kinds of other people that we didn't think of doing that with. Of course many people have no time for lunch with you. Especially if you want it "this week" - but if you are completely open ended as to when, that's will work easier.
One I have used is "I'm headed to XXX trade show. Any chance I'll see you there? What are you up to these days?" Same for local interest group meetings.
If you notice someone changed job or went to another company (from checking their Linkedin) - sure that's a message right there with an easy topic.
How often? 2 years too often? 5 years too little? Something like that.
It's fine not to have a native interest in that. But it's part of the job. No blog or bragging needed. No Linkedin needed even, if you really don't want that one. Catalog and maintain some minimal contact with these people who have seen your work: bosses, colleagues, juniors, vendors, consultants, anyone. Expose a few EXTRA people now and then, so they can see your work. This way, when you need to find a new job after many years hidden in just one department, you will have all these people who moved - sometimes frequently - and only wished they could have taken you with them at the time.
And that has nothing to do with "10x" - no matter the skill level you think you have, you'll be better off with a wide set of people who know you. "Know you" to any degree - often people will prefer you to going through the circus of interviewing for pretty random results.