I’ve noticed a trend since the pandemic: entry-level job seekers seem less comfortable with in-person networking events. This can be a missed opportunity, as face-to-face meetings can be one of the most effective ways to advance your career. Here are some thoughts and best practices!

Why Are Meetups Useful?

• Face-to-Face Time: Interacting with people in person is powerful. It’s much harder for someone to ignore a person they’ve met and had a conversation with than a name on a resume.
• The Hidden Job Market: Many jobs are never publicly posted. Companies often prefer to hire through referrals or from people they’ve met at industry events. You may also get information about companies you don’t want to work for.
• Market Intelligence: Meetups are a great way to get a feel for the job market. You can see which companies are hiring, what skills are in demand, and what the general sentiment is in your industry.
• Information: You can absorb a lot of information at meetups. You’ll hear about interesting problems, new technologies, and different approaches to work. This not only makes you a more knowledgeable professional but also gives you great talking points for future interviews.

Events I’d go to and how I find them.

I tend to focus on free, smaller meetups. Here’s my general approach:

• Finding Events: Eventbrite and Meetup.com are the best places to find these. In most urban areas, you can find something happening almost pretty regularly. I also keep a look out for larger cornerstone conferences, such as city tech weeks or big industry conferences which will sometimes spin out smaller events.
• In-Person is Key: I almost exclusively look for in-person events, especially if I’m actively job searching. The value of face-to-face interaction can’t be overstated.
• Go Technical (or Niche): Look for technical meetups in data science, computer science, or a specific industry. Don’t be afraid to attend even if you don’t understand everything. I once went to a Postgres meetup where the entire talk was over my head, but I still met interesting people and had a great time.
• Industry-Specific Events: These can be goldmines for technical people. Often, you’ll be one of the few data or tech-focused individuals there, which makes you stand out. For example, at a supply chain conference, you might be the only person with your skillset. If there is a larger conference in your area there are often discounted student tickets or job recruiting specific events. These, once again, can be great opportunities.
• A-la-carte “Networking”: I generally avoid paid “networking events” unless I get a strong recommendation. They tend to hit-or-miss, and I’ve heard stories of events where everyone attending is also looking for a job.

What to Do When You’re There

• Have a Goal: It can be as simple as “meet three new people.” Having a goal helps you stay focused and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
• Graceful Exits: Don’t be afraid to politely exit a conversation that isn’t a good fit. However, give it some time; conversations can often meander before getting to something interesting.
• Don’t Badger: Don’t constantly ask people about job openings. It comes across as desperate and is a turn-off. The same goes for asking for a LinkedIn connection immediately after meeting someone; talk to them for a bit first.
• Read the Room (Use your EQ): It’s better to leave no impression than a bad one. Be polite, be a good listener, and be yourself.
• Business Cards & Resumes: In the tech circles I frequent, handing out physical resumes or even business cards is seen as old-fashioned. A LinkedIn connection after a good conversation is the modern equivalent.
• Have Fun and Learn: This is the most important part. If you go in with a genuine desire to learn something new and meet interesting people, you’ll have a much better experience and make a better impression.