The video cover is what we are all feeling in this Job Market. I don't have a good cover image this time. Thought it would give some clarity haha.
Networking is a term we all have heard of and plays a huge role in our career when looking for a job in tech.
As a matter of fact in my opinion, I believe you have to network. Cold applying is not the way to go in this job market (and probably not at all before AI).
Sure, some people can brute force their way into this market and have a job offer, but that's the 1% out of everyone I have heard based on my experience. I only knew 1 person who can do that...
Again, networking is the golden thing that will allow us to get a job and opportunities, but it's known (from my experience) that people rarely or not do it or that they don't do it effectively. Why?
It's something I thought about throughout the years. People talked about the state of the job market and yes, it's awful for a few years now. Though there are still some people getting offers, especially new grads who rarely have experience in tech.
To cut to the chase, here are some of the things that I believe could be the root issue and ways to go about it based on my experience so far.
1. Meeting new people
Yea I know but hear me out.
Some of us are Introverts and some of us and extroverts. I get that and I am not saying we should convert to being an extrovert just to simply meet new people.
I am an introvert and still to this day. Though, you may be wondering: "Why you talk on DEV?".
The painful reality is that I have to put myself out there, regardless of what the irrational thoughts may be saying to you. I used to be the person where I distanced myself from other people because I am always afraid of what others think.
To be honest, not everyone will like you...and that's okay. One of the purpose in life is to meet others like you. If you try to be a "Jack-of-all-trades", you will not fit it anywhere. In other words, "Please all, and you will please none".
If you are a type of person who is afraid of just networking in general, my advice is to start small. Meet at least one person regularly on DEV, LinkedIn, or other platforms. It doesn't have to be huge. It can be a simple comment on their posts or even connecting them in general. Whether the case may be, have time to give yourself deep reflection on your fears on meeting with new people. Remember, you don't need to be an extrovert. You just need to put yourself out there in some capacity.
2. The Narrow belief of Networking
This applies to most Undergraduate/Graduate students, but can be applied to anyone really.
I believe we have this notion where networking is simply falls under the lines of:
- Reaching out to Recruiters for Referrals
- Gaining lots of connections on LinkedIn
- Simply asking Hiring Recruiters: "Please [recruiter's name] I neeed this. I am kind of unemployed. The Job market is tough right now, can you help me out?"
These are part of the networking process, though this is the more narrow and common belief of what networking is. We are so focused on these aspects to the point where it doesn't feel natural at all. If you were to think along the lines of "Reaching out to Recruiters --> Asking for a Referral --> Connect them on LinkedIn --> Hope for the best", your not alone.
I realized now that networking isn't as difficult or as tiresome as you may think. Networking is another way of saying "meeting new people and you get opportunities".
As as matter of fact, you may be networking right now! As you continue to meet new people, you tend to hear more opportunities from the people you meet whether it is relevant to your career or not.
I use to network by meeting random recruiters on LinkedIn and reaching out to see if they have either new openings, or asking for a referral to an application I sent. Now, I realized it's more than that and more natural than I thought. Meeting new people on DEV, joining Virtual Coffee, and working at CALEC all came from the fact that I just simply met new people.
Of course, everyone has different experiences with networking. It's still luck don't get me wrong, but people tend to stop early because they aren't receiving the outcome they are hoping.
That is where the problem lies because we all want to get something instantly even though most of us acknowledge that it will take a huge amount of time.
My advice would broaden your scope. In addition to networking on LinkedIn, try to find clubs, join events, etc. You get to meet new people in real time along with opportunities given to you. Do open source, join MLH's hackathons, anything really. You will be surprised on how many people you will meet and the opportunities you never knew existed before! Of course, ask naturally when it comes to opportunities, but don't be afraid to ask in general!
So, I guess the problem lies on how conformable we are to talking to new people and having a problem of not broad our scopes to networking on other platforms.
Simple enough, but easy to overlook if you haven't taken the time to reflect. Good thing we went through them. Of course, there's is more to it, but it is a good start.
Again, the Couple big things I would recommend for anyone is:
1. Putting yourself out there, but unique in a way that makes you stand out. To start, look around. See what is everyone is doing. Then, take advantage of that and start to find ways to make yourself unique instead of what everyone else is doing. Don't worry about what other think. Be yourself and you will find the people who are like you!
2. Broad your networking method. Instead of the traditional "reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn and hope", start by joining Hackathons, Clubs, and other fun events. You may never know who you will meet and the opportunities you will get. Note that it's not a "one and done", this takes time. Continue to network and continue to learn. You may never know!
If there is any advice on networking or things you want to share on your networking experience in tech, I would love to hear from you!
Top comments (3)
Great article, Francis! You’re absolutely right. Networking is incredibly important now and will only become more valuable moving forward. It’s one of the best investments you can make for your future career. The people you meet can become mentors, offer guidance, and even open doors to new opportunities down the road.
Exactly! It's one of the things that we all know what it can bring us, but we prevent ourselves to even do it since everyone has different challenges when it comes to communication and just meeting people in general. Thanks Ben :)
You are welcome, Francis! I agree with you completely. Stepping back from networking can work with some people, but not with others. The key is consistent follow‑up. If it doesn’t lead anywhere with certain people, you simply move forward.