You do not need to network exclusively with partners to improve your experienced-hire application.

Consultants, managers and recruiters can explain work and recruiting processes, while senior partners may be relevant for niche practice hiring.

Someone one or two levels above the role you want may give more actionable interview and staffing advice than a very senior contact. A relevant project leader may be more useful than a partner who has little familiarity with the hiring team.

A consultant or manager who understands your target role may give more actionable insight than a partner with little time. Build a varied network and use these consulting networking approaches to ask specific, informed questions.

A manager gave me much more detail than a partner did.

I wasn't sure whether the seniority of the contact mattered.