Networking is similar to learning a language: you have to practice it by becoming familiar with its grammatical structure and syntax. Once you are comfortable with the basics of networking, you can then learn its informalities within the ecosystem or cultures of networking. Similar to my experience learning Chinese Mandarin, my relationship with networking is on and off. I go to a couple events, either virtual or in-person, on an inconsistent basis. The great thing about those experiences is that I met people I am still in contact with to this day, and I utilized opportunities that proved beneficial to my interest in getting a role as a software developer.
However, from time to time I would stop attending these events for a couple of months. Usually, the reasons are legitimate to various degrees. But knowing me, I can figure out some way to create “some time.”
This time around I decided to step outside my comfort zone, end my hiatus status, and start attending networking events once again.
First networking event: Barclays NYC Headquarters
There was a list of networking events that my program recommended I attend. One of them was held at Barclays Investment Bank located, which is located around the Midtown area in Manhattan. “As a native New Yorker,” I tend to avoid areas as they are usually populated with foot traffic of tourists . However, attending this event outweighed the annoyance of my inability to walk“fast”, as I usually do when I’m not in the Midtown area. At this event I had the opportunity to participate in a mock interview, receive feedback on my resume, and practice my elevator pitch.
It was a dress casual event which in my translation means the best of both worlds. In the past, it was difficult for me to bridge casual and formal wear, but thankfully I have a safe option when I am doubtful about what to wear: a blazer, blue jeans, and “dress sneakers.” The outfits give me a professor look, but it works.
Attending this event was a great experience. During my mock-interview, I was recommended to use the STAR method ( the acronym stands for “situation, task, action and result,” and is used to prepare for situational and behavioral interview questions) as a model to structure my answers. For my resume, I was advised to have a “less is more” approach for future revisions. I need to be mindful of the average time employees and recruiters spend looking through resumes, and to use keywords that align with the job description that I applied to. Regarding my elevator pitch, I understood the pitch was meant to be a quick overview of your career interests, and is meant to be flexible so you can express it in different networking settings. It's important to be mindful of people’s time and make sure your words are of substance when the opportunity to express your interest arises.
While those engagements were helpful, another highlight of my experience was seeing my peers and instructors in person rather than behind a computer screen. In many ways, we are all on similar journeys, and it was great to converse and catch up with them.
Second networking event: Attending a Code & Coffee meetup
NYC Code & Coffee meetup at a new location (Photo Credit: Max Charles)
Every two weeks, a wide range of people, from senior developers, to those who are interested in a tech career, attend NYC Code & Coffee from upstate New York or out-of-state within the east coast. One of the many reasons for the meetup’s popularity has to do with it being community-oriented and its emphasis to embrace authenticity and transparency within its communal ecosystem.
I have been attending Code & Coffee (C&C) meetups since last year. It is always great to see familiar faces, and I give credit to C&C for the friendships and opportunities I cultivate from their spaces. However, as I alluded to earlier, I would show up to a C&C meetup and then not show up for a couple of weeks to a month. It is a habit that I want to break, and I saw the opportunity to do so when C&C announced a meetup at CodeSmith, a new location.
During the C&C meetup, after an icebreaker, the facilitator gave recognition to those who offered the venue for the event. Then, everyone introduced themselves “briefly.” I’m always amused that despite me giving introductions multiple times, and having moderated panel discussions, I still experience some form of anxiety when I’m given a mic to speak about myself “briefly.” Go figure: either way introducing myself went okay and I moved on to the next thing, networking.
Despite one awkward moment where I introduced myself to someone and they responded rudely before walking away, turning to look at me once more before leaving my presence fully, this meetup represented the most people I’ve connected with at a networking event. This genuinely surprised me, in a good way of course.
Here are some noble highlights:
(1) Talking with a software engineer who shared that a good prerequisite to studying Data Structures and Algorithms is to familiarize yourself with string and array methods of the programming language of your choice. This can be applied to a back-up language in case you can’t use your language of choice in a technical interview.
(2) Conversing with an aspiring software engineer who expressed that their experience in the web3 sector contributed to their decision to have a tech career. This reminded me of the initial phases of my tech journey.
(3) Meeting someone who is learning Korean in their spare time, and having the chance to speak with them in Chinese Mandarin was pretty cool.
Similar to previous C&C meetups, unfortunately, I had to leave after the meetup ended and could not join others who decided to go hangout afterward.
Closing thoughts
During the month of October, I attended two in-person events: one that was held at the Barclays Investment Bank and the Code & Coffee meetup. Considering my schedule and interest to avoid burnout this is a step forward. I want to moderate yet increase my presence in these types of networking spaces, from formal to informal gatherings.
Follow me more for more reflections and other writing thoughts @davonbl.
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