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....
For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse
Before 2026 i never really networked. I know people from my previous jobs but that's it. The truth is that putting yourself out there increases your surface for "luck", but from the other side, i am not the type of person that would ever ask for a favor (aKa, referrals, introductions etc).
For me networking might look a bit different, not necessarily about finding a job: I would really like to find a meetup or something along that lines here (that is not in Dutch), in Greece i was going to some (UI, UX, web) and it was fun, but mostly about discussing tech topics (NOT AI) not necessarily about networking.
Ya i mean it's true. I also have a similar opinion that one should present it in a way he is. Not like asking for favours or refferal by yourself.
It should be involuntary with your charisma.
When you meet people with confidence they get an image of a person who is able to manage even tough situations. And with that perspective even if you just talk casually with them they would notice it .
It's psychological that Attraction through detachment, works better.
It's a natural thing to do honestly, just meeting new people. It took me a while to figure out that networking is a fancy way of saying "Meet new people".
Meetups is the one thing I am trying to do. Maybe joining a hackathon for the first time would be nice. I see tech topics, but most are talking about AI and MCP to the point where I felt "fatigue". Idk, maybe just me.
Yes the same, I don't want to optimize my agents anymore, i want to talk to people about programming and coding and all that stuff like the old times.
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.
Yep consistent and effective communication is the "open secret" to success but most don't apply it well. I get it, it is hard especially for introverts (like myself) to go out there and connect with people.
But the thing is, we should still do it. It's like mandatory. No man is an island. Surrounding yourself with people you want to be in the future is always a good idea. If you linger long enough, I am 100% sure you will be the next in line.
BUT DON'T LOSE PATIENCE.
Building connection takes time and keeping them active is another. So go out there and connect, people are going to judge anyways, might as well go for it. I am where I am right now because I am constantly making myself visible to strangers. Also hoping to meet more incredible people in the future!
As you should! In life, your going to get judge by people in general. We all have opinions on what we stand for, which makes us Human!
Glad you took the initiative to meet others on various platforms in addition to DEV Elmar! Keep it up :D
@xulingfeng is perfect example of this. Dozens of cold outreaches, nothing... Then a call from an old colleague and boom, he goes straight to interview and hired. The real problem is building a relation with people outside of your workplace and still transfer your skillset doing so. Saying I'm a rust developer doesnt mean much, saying I have a bunch of public repos also not much, somehow the people I speak to need to think of me when their CTO says 'damn, I wish we had a rust engineer on staff' and have them confidently say 'I know a guy'. That, I think, is where the real friction with networking comes from. People dont want to go out of their comfort zone, sure, but even if they do, it must eventually pay off right? Else what was the whole point? Sure, meeting new people is fun at times, having thoughtful discussions in comments, posting about topics, essentially 'branding' yourself in your domain, it does something, but it's hardly as focused as leading a conference on a topic? Somewhere, there's a finite line that sets you apart as someone recommended, vs who sits on their mind, but they're too scared you'll mess up to recommend you. Old colleagues know how you work, they've seen you handle production systems, people on the internet dont, even if you're running public repos... And that's scary, because we're here posting in our domains, yet idk what @pascal_cescato_692b7a8a20 specializes in? I know he's incredibly smart and pragmatic about what he writes, but what's his specialty? @xulingfeng is another example, I knew he was in QA, I never thought he's been in it for 15 years! That's QA lead level experience, he's probably had more code run past his terminal than I've seen in my life! Yet, till he mentioned it in a comment, I never knew the depth. So how to translate that into networking, without bragging and without it reading like a resume? @dannwaneri and @kenielzep97 are both exceptional developers, I know their domain atleast and I know if it's authority based security, self-correcting is probably your go-to, vs if it's edge AI, Daniel is likely top candidate. But that's the dilemma, we've been networking, we all know eachother to a degree, we gauge eachother's specialties, but not to a depth where we can walk up to a CTO and say 'this guy specializes in it and he'll walk in with a roadmap', it's still 'they know the field, this is their niche, but I'm not sure if their first-hand experience is directly applicable'. And it sucks, because every node in a network works together for the common good, which is making sure each node succeeds, but without enough information it's just 'shorter path' rather than 'shortest path' lookup of who is suited for what.
Honestly, lets just start a mega company as a community and dominate all fields at once 🤣 Seriously, think about it, we've all got a niche, we all have a sector, just bucketing and task distribution, end of month, funds are split unilaterally, same shares, if new people join up, join in, the more the merrier?
@ben , @jess so when are we starting DEV industries? 😂
The name-tagging maniac strikes again, haha 😂 You didn’t look carefully! I’ve put my 15 years of QA experience right on my profile, and you only just found out now.🤣
Also, that's why you're in QA 😁 to catch what I miss 😂 You see, you're good at your job!
It’s QA OCD kicking in! I always open people’s profiles whenever they comment 😂
And jump when you see a red icon 😁
🤣🤣🤣
Networking doesn’t mean making a name for yourself in a crowd; it means building such a strong identity that even in a crowd, people look for you.
The power of networking is truly immense.
Nice write-up, Francis.
Thanks! :D
I’m happy that you’re feeling better now and don’t feel sick anymore.
Yeahhh networking is one of those things I never really liked to do but HAD to do, but I can definitely say I've gotten better at it. I realized the same learnings as you have written in this post, never be afraid to ask for help, doing your side of the job is really important if you want to see any kind of result, putting yourself out there, marketing yourself... and one thing I'm still learning myself is making strong meaningful connections as well, and the ability to make them last, but without further rambling, at the end of the day it's all about the actions you take, you plant a seed and a tree grows, it's that simple.
Yep. It is that simple, though people tend to want instant results of this. Consistency is always a blocker for anything really, especially when trying to master a skill. Consistency is key. If no consistency, then no point of trying?
Appreciate it Aryan and glad you are still doing well!
Networking gets a bad reputation because people treat it like an API call:
POST /referralBut the useful connections usually happen long before you actually need something from the person.
I can see where it gets the bad reputation because of how people see it as "unfair" in a way, but that's usually how it works. If I was a recruiter, I want to make sure the person I am hiring has the capability and not a scam. Which is probably why the interviews are rigorous in such manner. Unfortunate, but it is what it is I guess. Thanks!
Networking has always been the hardest part for me. I'm trying to overcome it by attending more local events and talking to more people here on DEV. But every time I try to push that wall, it feels like something pushes back harder. This post made me feel less alone in that. Thanks for sharing
Keep it up! Seems like your on the right path and yes, it takes time but hopefully, you will get there!
Nice username btw. Hopefully these networking isn't going to destroy the multiverse in your movie lol (Avengers: Doomsday) xD
Thanks, I really appreciate it.
And for the destruction of the multiverse, you just have to wait and see, maybe it will, xD
@francistrdev Reframing networking as simply meeting people rather than pitching yourself for a referral makes a massive difference, especially for introverts. Treating it as genuine community building takes away that awkward transactional feel and makes it far more sustainable long-term.
When you first started making that shift away from cold recruiter outreach, what was the first community or event where you felt things actually clicked?
Hey Sushyam. It's was more of a self-reflection of myself during the time my OCD was really bad for me. Since I had nothing to do, it gave me a lot of free space to think about where I am at. That "clicked" for me and decide to join DEV to put myself out there. What about you?
I was a shy person before 2026. I had never really tried networking. But here are some things I’ve learned and realized: without networking, even high-level skills can go unnoticed, which can reduce your chances of getting what you’re aiming for.
In 2026 and, perhaps, in the years to come, everyone will need networking—not just to show off their skills, but because, in an increasingly virtual world, networking is one of the ways we stay connected to the real world. We’ll definitely need it.
We definitely do...it's even natural for us to even meet people to begin with. and yes, it is something I also notice as well when you mentioned "high-level skills can go unnoticed, which can reduce your chances of getting what you’re aiming for.".
Hopefully your journey goes well Maulik! What are some things you are doing right now when your networking? Sharing anything good on DEV/LinkedIn?
Networking is truly about meeting new people. The funny thing is we attach networking to getting a job or opportunity, but most times, when we do it without trying to get something in return, that's when it really pays.
It's something I am trying to work on. Honestly, I am bad at networking, I have even been off social media for weeks now lol, but I am getting back, communicating with people, interacting on their posts etc. With time, it eventually pays off, it's just to have the right mindset
"You Don't Say" meme placement was chef's kiss 😂. Also hard agree on the DBV point. I used to think networking meant becoming a extrovert overnight. Turns out it just means showing up consistently and not being weird about it. Way less scary once you stop overthinking the "how."
Overthinking is a bummer lol. I found that meme to be a perfect transition for it when saying about how networking is the way to go lmao. Thanks Tejas!
I know plenty of people for whom it comes like second nature and I am NOT one of them. Great article though really good ideas. I am too much of an extrovert so I fake my 'networking' and am drained of all energy after exercising whats left of my social skills. YES its very important to have networking skills though saw many people getting very successful coz of them.
Farah
Thanks Farrah!
Networking gets framed like some mysterious skill, but most of it really is just talking to people before you need something from them. That is slower than sending applications, but it builds a much better base over time.
What a great read Francis, your article has truly inspired me to just make the initial smallest efforts on networking anywhere and naturally progress myself in putting myself out there as much as possible.
Thanks man! Appreciate it :)
Yeahh Earlier I used to think that I should be perfect or may be better before putting myself out there for networking, otherwise why would anybody listen to me or read my stuff. Realized it's less about the perfection and more about acknowledging your flaws and trying to learn.
I guess that's is the main thing. We all want to express ourselves perfectly, but we have to understand that there is always someone better than you. Thanks for sharing Vidhi!
The idea of making networking easier to think about by breaking it into clear concepts is helpful, especially for developers who find network behavior confusing at first. Understanding how the different layers and components interact can make troubleshooting much more manageable.
Indeed Henry!
Hello Francis, I just can't help but be formal on my chats to people I try connecting to, it is a natural instinct as to not demean or disrespect them. I recently took part in an MLH Hackathon and met some great people which I'd never forget, some were AI Engineers and others as well. In my opinion, not all of us can meetup with new people that easily well, not physically to say the least, but for all those who are doubting their timidness and lack of 'communication/social' skills, let me tell you, I did not interact with anyone that great myself and I loved this recent experience. So, anyone who is still navigating and trying to open his shell up, I'd recommend good community organised online hackathons, even if you can participate solo, look for a team, multiple hackathons provide team-building channels on their discord, find the people whose vibes match and who knows you might find your biggest and bestest supervisor while you pull an all-nighter building a website nobody's gonna use but feels like a sight to behold.
This!! It's one of the best ways to meet new people AND get to build something for your portfolio. One of the best wins! Thanks Rudra :)
while networking thsere is always one concern we used to face about , let say we are meeting with any c-suite leader or like something , then should be start pitching immediately are product and ideas or should be first bulding the RAPO with them, since c-suite leader rarely have time to making the realtions ....
Great perspective on networking! I especially liked the idea of starting small and focusing on genuine connections instead of immediately asking for referrals. Networking is really about building relationships, not just collecting LinkedIn connections. 👍
I’ve lived through exactly all of this over the past two weeks. Couldn’t agree more. Mass blind resume spamming is worse than buying lottery tickets. When someone you know can vouch for you, you can basically skip the standard hiring process entirely. A slightly imperfect analogy: it’s like the Trojan Horse. You bypass HR (the city walls) and head straight into the heart of the city. Feel free to check out my post about this whole experience 😂
lol pretty much. It's a way that you are trusted if someone vouch for you because it's basically a "verification" that you can do the work.
I guess so? It's another way to think of this lmao.
I think the biggest shift is seeing networking as relationship-building rather than opportunity seeking. If every interaction starts with “can you refer me?”, people naturally feel like a means to the end. But when you genuinely build relationships, opportunities become a byproduct rather than the objective.
We don't need to become an extrovert - we just need to become visible enough to be remembered I guess :)
Exactly. Making memories when networking can be a fun thing!
Started posting on Linkedin for this very reason, makes it easier to network when people can see you doing the work in public
Hopefully that is working out for you! :)
Wonderful piece of advice for networking. As an introvert myself, I can say for a fact, that networking for us is tiresome, but essential to be able to grab opportunities.
Life is so hard. Everything needs effort. Can I just be myself and have opportunities? NO...
Thks, Francis, Networking and Social interaction, well it is exhausting, The Mask 🎭️ is to heavy to wear ....
Appreciate it linkognit0!