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How can I increase my connections in IT?

I'd like to increase my connections in IT to learn more about other people's experiences and have someone to go to in the future in case I need any advice or help.

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Kristi’s Answer

Hi there - I suggest as others have:
- follow some interesting IT thought leaders on LinkedIn
- join some industry groups on LinkedIn or look on platforms like Slack or Discord for groups of IT professionals
- reach out to recent graduates from schools you attended who are in that industry
- attend industry events or webinars - ask questions, and follow up with speakers sharing what you find compelling
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Angelica’s Answer

Hi Danielle,

As someone else said, LinkedIn is definitely a great place to start! Joining groups and connecting with people working in the field is how I started networking after graduation. Most people on LinkedIn are more than happy to give advice and insight on their profession. There are also a lot of MeetUp groups centered around IT. Some are for certain locations, but a majority are remote. You can even reach out to people directly on there. I've also found that forums like Discord and Reddit can be helpful if you join the right ones.
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Judy’s Answer

LinkedIn is always a great forum as others have shared. If there is someone you know that has the knowledge you are looking for, ask to mentor.
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Una’s Answer

I believe forums and online communities are a good place to start. Also, LinkedIn is a great source of topic oriented groups and going to conferences.
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Marija’s Answer

Hi!
Great question, I suggest you to register on LinkedIn and connect with people from IT department. It is a great opportunity to talk to people with similar interests and find out more about it.
Try to participate in conferences or workshops about IT. Also there are a lot of books about it so try to investigate and learn deeper about IT section.
Good luck! 🤞
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Pushkar’s Answer

I guess this has been answered already but here’s my take on this. LinkedIn is definitely a great place to do networking. I would suggest to take time and build your profile on LinkedIn, introduce yourself and then join the groups YOU ARE INTERESTED IN.
Research about industry/companies you like, search for similar profile or the you aspire and reach out to them. Cold messaging works but not every time.
Meetups and conferences are another great way to do networking.
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James Constantine’s Answer

Dear Danielle,

Boost Your IT Network by Attending Conferences and Meetups

Boosting your IT network is as simple as attending relevant conferences and meetups. These gatherings are a goldmine for meeting individuals with similar interests, exchanging ideas, and learning from each other. Here are a few notable IT conferences and meetups you might consider:

RSA Conference: This global security conference gathers IT experts to discuss current cybersecurity trends and challenges.
GitHub Satellite: This conference centers on open-source software development, attracting developers, designers, and other IT professionals.
Meetup.com: Use this platform to discover and join local meetups that align with your interests. You can find IT-related groups in your area and expand your network by attending their meetings.

Connect with IT Professionals in Online Communities

Online communities are a fantastic way to interact with other IT professionals. These platforms enable you to ask questions, share your experiences, and collaborate with others in a virtual setting. Here are some popular online communities to consider:

Reddit: This social news platform hosts various IT-related subreddits like r/sysadmin, r/learnprogramming, and r/networking.
Stack Overflow: This is a Q&A platform for programmers and IT professionals where you can ask questions, answer others' queries, and contribute to discussions in your field of expertise.
LinkedIn Groups: This professional networking platform allows you to join industry-specific groups. Participate in discussions, share content, and connect with other members.

Contribute to Open Source Projects

Contributing to open-source projects is a fantastic way to hone your skills, gain experience, and network with other IT professionals. Here are some well-known open-source projects to consider:

GitHub: This platform hosts open-source projects and allows you to contribute by submitting pull requests, reporting issues, or providing feedback.
GitLab: Similar to GitHub, GitLab hosts open-source projects and allows you to contribute.
Open Source Initiative: This organization promotes open source software development and provides resources for those interested in contributing to open source projects.

Join Coding Challenges and Hackathons

Joining coding challenges and hackathons is an excellent way to enhance your skills, learn new technologies, and network with other IT professionals. Here are some popular coding challenges and hackathons to consider:

HackerRank: This platform hosts coding challenges and competitions for programmers of all skill levels. You can participate in challenges related to various programming languages, algorithms, and data structures.
Codecademy: This online learning platform offers coding challenges and courses in various programming languages. You can learn new skills, build projects, and connect with other learners.
Hackathons: These events bring together developers, designers, and other IT professionals to build projects in a short time. You can find hackathons on various topics like healthcare, finance, or gaming on platforms like HackerEarth or DevPost.

By taking these steps, you'll not only expand your IT network but also learn from others' experiences while enhancing your skills and knowledge in the field.

Stay blessed!
James Constantine Frangos.
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Milica’s Answer

The most important thing is zo create a Linkedin account. Besides that, it is imortant to get familiar with IT companies and do some internship program.
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Dylan’s Answer

Dear Michael,
You can join some industry groups on LinkedIn, networking on LinkedIn or attending as much IT related conferences as possible.
Definitely will need follow some good thought IT leaders on LinkedIn
Hopes this help 😉
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Fred’s Answer

Many schools have coding clubs where you can get together with peers and discuss new trends, participate in hack-a-thons, and other such activities.
Join a professional organization. Depending on where you are, there could be meet-n-greets. St. Louis used to have (and may still have) a Java Users Group that met monthly.
Sign up on LinkedIn, and subscribe to a few channels that interest you. Start reading posts, and see who's active. Make connection requests to people who allow it, follow people who prefer that, etc.

And remember, networking is not just about what YOU get. It's a two-way street. You should try to give at least as much as you get. Ask questions, participate in discussions, give advice, engage in healthy (and polite) debate.
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Chris’s Answer

Increasing your connections is always helpful. Go to meet ups with local tech events and make connections. Build your professional network as it can help you no matter where you are in your career
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Katina’s Answer

Hi! I would suggest joining LinkedIn (or a similar site), that is a great starting point where you have the ability to connect with individuals in the IT workforce. There are also groups you can join on LinkedIn that are specific to different areas of IT where individuals post thoughts, public resources, and trending articles and topics. This is a great way to get insight into other people's thoughts on certain IT topics as well as read about the things they are experiencing in their day-to-day work.
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Margaret’s Answer

Find and join communities and events:
- participate in a startup competition or hackathon at your school or in your community
- find a tech-oriented co-working space. They often have socials, talks, or events
- find conferences in your field at your university, in your town, or nationwide. Some might have student scholarships
- become a professor's assistant, especially one who hosts events in your field,
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Tim’s Answer

I am a big fan of utilizing LinkedIn for networking, and would suggest searching for topics or individuals in the industry you are interested in. Often times, if you write a description of what you are wanting to accomplish (learn more, network with professionals in that industry, or even just general knowledge) it can be a powerful tool. Be open to networking.
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Brandon’s Answer

If you're in college, there are many opportunities to network within IT. There are clubs and organizations you can attend as well as interact with your classmates. You could also join forums and online discussions.
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Premal’s Answer

Good question. I would suggest open an account on LinkedIn start connecting to people you know and connect to people they know in IT by looking at their connections. You can ask your connection to introduce you to theirs. Start following linked in groups like Machine learning, Cloud computing groups etc. Attend meet ups which is happening locally on your area on technical topics you like. Attend free webinars organized by various tech companies about their product and start making connection virtually. Participate in product evaluations programs and groups, sometime you see these invite on linked in.

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Miroslav’s Answer

Visit different conferences and be active in IT communities, especially online communities. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
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David’s Answer

Hi Danielle
Hope you are doing great!

On my personal experience, try to look for coding communities, specially focused on competitive programming, coding tournaments and other activities, at college at was the local coding club president and let me tell you networking goes hard in these clubs. If you are graduating soon don´t worry there is a lot of coding communities online, reddit even facebook.
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MICHAEL’s Answer

create a LinkedIn profile asap. Reach out to professionals in your area or area of interest. Ask them to answer questions - like this one - in LinkedIn chat. Find "IT Administrators", "IT Managers" etc at companies you really like.
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Ankita’s Answer

Local Meetups group and LinkedIn is your friend for making connections in IT. Sometimes it's also useful to look for acquaintance, your friends who works in IT can always introduce you to bigger groups and help align with your interests. Hope that helps!
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Brendon’s Answer

Go to networking events, use LinkedIn, find programs to get into, meet people at a college.
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Andreja’s Answer

Start with LinkedIn, read relevant articles to the topic.
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