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How should I go about connecting with people in my field?

Hello, I am a student enrolled in Cascades Job Corps, studying a trade in IT. I plan on going into the software-dev field, and I'm looking for advice on how to connect with others that have been through similar career paths. Thank you!

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Joseph’s Answer

Hey Donovan!

I like all of the suggestions for LinkedIn here in the other answers but I wanted to add to this. I have had a very security focused career and I have seen that Twitter is a great place to see security trends. Professionals will often post about the security issues that come up and they will also advertise when jobs come available.
I think paying attention to LinkedIn and Twitter both would be a great idea!

P.S. it seems like Discord is gaining lots of traction lately so you might be able to find some organizations through Discord too!
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Kyu Seo’s Answer

Always had same concern you had, Linkedin can be starter and follow someone who wish to be mentor.
Don't be rush for now because once you get into field, you will starting know many people along the way.
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Cristian’s Answer

Hey Donovan! I'd first start by creating a LinkedIn page. Add your experience and professional picture of yourself. After doing that, reach out to professionals in your area of interest by attempting to connect with them and adding a note to your connection request. Give a brief intro on yourself, why you'd like to connect, and then ask if they have time for a coffee chat or informational interview. If they agree, schedule some time with them and create a list of questions you'd like to ask. You can Google lists of informational interview questions and then pick and choose based on your interest. After the chat, make sure to follow up, thank them, and mention some points in the conversation that you really enjoyed.
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Arush’s Answer

Hello, studying alone in IT is not enough to pave your career path, you have to keep your eye on day to day technologies and software languages top companies are using. You should connect to people of particular fields on platform like Linkedin and related.
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Erin’s Answer

Donovan, LinkedIn can be a very valuable resource to connect with others in similar fields and professions. You can connect 1:1 with individuals, find companies, or locate groups based on relevant keywords.
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Amanda’s Answer

Hey Donovan,

I went to University for game development originally, and I had moved several states away to do this so I didn't know anyone and I didn't have any industry connections starting out. Ultimately, before I found the career path I really wanted to pursue continually as I advance through my life, I really just tried to get involved with:

a. Other students in my program
b. Professionals in LinkedIn discussions
c. Professionals in adjacent fields
d. I'd pop into local festivals, fairs, or events related to the industry
e. I participated in game-related fundraisers as a volunteer
f. I shared my work on popular portfolio-sharing social platforms
g. I would initiate a conversation if I saw someone working in familiar tools

Really, once you start to connect with people who are passionate about the topic, you'll find that meeting others will happen more organically too so you won't have to purposefully arrange so many "outings" to feel like you're making progress. Obviously, the way that you connect personally and professionally with people may differ a lot from how I would. But these are just some places that you can go or opportunities you can consider (but tailored more toward software development than game development) to get started!
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Malina’s Answer

As many people, have answered before LinkedIn is a great place to start

Once you have a profile there, you can also find companies profiles and follow those that are of interest to you. This way, you can see posts from these companies in your feed such as innovations coming from a company, job postings, internship opportunities

Do not forget to also connect with your teachers if they have LinkedIn profiles and do not be afraid to connect with recruiters as well

In fact, there is a special category of recruiters who are dedicated to recruiting for internship or entry-level positions (you can easily search for them by using keywords such as "emerging talent recruiting" or "university recruiting")

LinkedIn also has groups for specific interests and you can join those as well
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Holly’s Answer

Hey Donovan,

Just to add to the others voices.

Given that we are getting back slowly to groups getting together I would suggest taking a look at "meet-ups" and other types of community groups that are meeting up in your local area, either of specific technology types or more broadly IT.

I would also take a look at local technology companies and reach out, via LinkedIn, to have a look around their offices and meet some people, the great thing about the tech community is everyone is always willing to share.

All the best,

Holly

Holly recommends the following next steps:

Take a look on - https://www.meetup.com/
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Vincent’s Answer

Don't fear to meet new one in any business area or sectors.
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Abbas’s Answer

Hi Donovan, this is a great question with a lot of great answers. The only thing I would add is that a lot of professional associations will have local events and mixers and those great opportunities to develop relationships with people who are in different stages of the career journey
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Emily’s Answer

Hey there, I would look for networking events near you. Often they welcome students and people who want to talk about their aspirations.
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praveen’s Answer

LinkedIn, Professional courses can connect you to the talent in your field.
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Taylor’s Answer

Your alumni network could be a great place to look for connections if there are particular companies in your field that you think are interesting. You can search for those companies in LinkedIn and it will pop up with people who went to your university - feel free to send them a LI message and ask for a "coffee chat". People are generally very helpful and the school connection is a foot in the door to network!
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Asma’s Answer

Hi ,

There are a lots of options that you can connect with people online or in person like meetup events , LinkedIn webinars , Join along with a friend as a guest at any of their Company 's events , Social media is a very good path for you to search up and follow like minded people
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Carlos’s Answer

Reaching out to experienced professionals can sometimes be intimidating, however from my experience most people are very open to having a conversation on their career and their path to getting there. Looking for people on linked in and reaching out can be a great tool to reaching professionals in your desired field.
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Anwar’s Answer

Hi Donovan, LinkedIn is the single most important and powerful career tool today. And it is more than simply a professional Facebook. It is a comprehensive career platform.
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Susan’s Answer

Hey Donovan!

Networking, it's Your SuperPower! is a great book I purchased, and it talks about networking in the virtual world and how to use social media to network. I also use LinkedIn
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Shweta’s Answer

I will suggest linkedin. You can connect with people who are working in your interested domain.

Hope this helps!
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jay’s Answer

Hi Donovan,

I have found attending software conference's very helpful , you should look at the upcoming events from big companies like Salesforce, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, Adobe etc - where you can network, connect with like minds and figure out how to grow your knowledge and Career.
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Soumya’s Answer

Hi Gaurav,
You can use social plateform like Linkedin to connect with people and understand your interest area deeper. I suggest to go through contents available over youtube and other sites. You can surely connect with people in person in your nearby from similar field.

All the best for career!!
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Ody’s Answer

Hello,
I would suggest you to connect with Microsoft User Group or Google User group around Washington. Or you could even attend their monthly meeting for free.
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Samala’s Answer

As many people suggested, even i recommend Linkedin. This is where you can find network of networks starting from your ex org contacts and their web of contacts.

This is really a place where you can be recommended for trending courses and certifications too.

Please refer once and get thorough knowledge on it so that you can definitely have some guidance.
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