It doesn't have to be that way. Women need to be assertive, to appreciate their confidence and self-worth. It's all perspective. The opposite of networking is not working. Remember, in this game, one hand washes the other.
Patience is part of the process.
Excellent networkers, women or men, have excellent strategies. It's like developing a new skill or playing a sport. Become aware of everything . Learn by emulating successful people and by identifying the appealing things they do. Read the paper with a networking eye, listen to the news with a networking ear.