Whether the idea fills you with dread or excitement — this article is for you. Nothing maximizes your chances of finding awesome and inspiring opportunities as much as connecting with other people — as long as you approach it in the right way. And it might just be easier than you think.
First, let’s look at the statistics. When you ask someone how they landed their job, 70% of the time they’ll say it was down to networking. If you ask a company how they fill their roles, you’ll learn that 80% of the time they never actually advertise their jobs online or elsewhere. And, here’s the crucial one:
Only 7% of all job applicants come through a referral — yet referrals account for 40% of hires.
When you take a moment to digest those numbers, you really understand the power of networking. But do you understand how to do it well?
It’s not about approaching a stranger and asking for a job.
It’s not about being the most out-there, extroverted person in the room.
It’s about building, and nurturing, relationships — both on and offline.
That word ‘relationship’ is key here. Any relationship takes an investment of time. It’s also made stronger when we bring value to the other people involved.
It’s essential to realise that effective networking isn’t about asking someone for a job — it’s about understanding how to help them. When you help people they’re likely to help you at a future date. It’s about give and take — so start by giving!
This is so simple but so important. We’re drawn to people who are positive, optimistic, and fun. Again, it’s not about being extroverted — it’s about being a positive influence, and encouraging people’s ideas, goals, and ambitions.
If you introduce two people who’d work well together, you’re adding value to both of them. They’ll appreciate the hook-up, and they’ll remember you created it.
When we network, we tend to start talking about ourselves, and that’s natural — we want to impress! But by resisting that urge you’ll stand out from the crowd. When trying to land a job as a software developer, ask questions to discover a person’s, or company’s, software problems. By learning what they require, you learn how you can help. Then you can offer to be the person to fix those problems.
As we’re currently in the midst of a global pandemic, the way you network will shift. While we all work together to minimize the spread of the virus, our opportunities to meet in-person have been restricted. You’ll see that many of the steps suggested below can be taken remotely, or have an online equivalent. There’s also advice for how to network in person, too — see these as ideas you’ll have in your toolbox ready for when the current situation changes.
When you join Microverse, you become part of an international community of people who will eventually be working as professional software developers and in companies you might want to get referrals to. It makes sense to start networking there. Become known for being helpful and positive, and people will reciprocate.
If you follow people on LinkedIn, they will sometimes follow you back. But that’s not networking. You need to go beyond just following and ‘friending’ people and work toward relationship-building. Here’s how:
Focus on the ‘A Players’: Who are the people in your community, maybe your city, who you admire and see as key people in the industry? Send them a message via LinkedIn (Twitter works too) saying you’re from the area, you admire what they do, and you’re looking for career advice. Say you’re just starting out and you’d love to invite them to coffee and learn from them.
Focus on your dream companies: Now think of a company that you really admire. Maybe a software company in your hometown, or an international company like Google, or a remote company like GitLab. Use the LinkedIn filters to find people who work there. Filter by position: software engineer. Then look for front-end, back-end, whatever you’re interested in, and get in touch. You don’t have to have a coffee in person — remote chats work too!
You could offer to give a talk at a conference in person or remotely for a webinar, even if you’re at the beginning of your career. For example, you might propose to speak at JSConf about how a beginner can get started with JavaScript. Or, volunteer as a coordinator — either way you get free admission to the event and all the opportunities it can bring.
Meetup.com is a great resource. They have meetups on a variety of topics and in most cities. Often there’s a talk followed by the chance to chat and network — take this opportunity! Remember, you're not trying to sell anything, you're trying to help people. Approach, ask questions and understand what people need.
Also, look out for any external Microverse events exclusively for our students, and check out freeCodeCamp — as well as offering opportunities for making online connections, they organize local study groups in thousands of cities across the world. Chances are they’ll be one near you.
If there’s no meetup where you are, be the one to organize it. Go into any coffee shop or co-working space, and explain that you’d love to organize something for developers because there isn’t anything like that nearby.
Likewise, if you notice a company is hiring for JavaScript, suggest a meetup in their offices for JavaScript developers. You’ll be networking with the people who attend the event, and with the owners or HR teams of the company. Those are really good relationships to forge.
Another option is to organize a dinner for developers in your town. Everyone pays for their own dinner, and you create value by bringing them together.
If it’s difficult to meet in person, host a remote meetup using Zoom or Google Hangouts. You could even invite a guest speaker and run a Q&A afterwards. All of these ideas add value to others and offer opportunities for you to build your network.
Most software developers — in fact, most people — start networking when they need a job. If that’s your situation, it’s okay. It’s never too late and the tips in this article will get you started. But if you’re not looking to be hired right now, remember that good networking is about investing time in building and nurturing relationships. Start building a network today and it will be there for you in the years to come. Learn more about Microverse below.
Ariel is the founder & CEO of Microverse, an online school for software engineers. Read more about Microverse and how it can help you.
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