Virtual Networking Secrets for IT Pros

Before we get into specific networking resources, let’s talk about networking in today’s job search. As you know, Coronavirus hit without giving most of us time to prepare. This includes businesses and other organizations. Some people got laid off immediately, some got furloughed for a few months, and some were let go in the later months of the pandemic. This has severely affected the job market. The tech industry hasn’t been hit as hard as most industries, but the pandemic has still taken its toll.

Think about it like this. If the amount of positions available has dropped, companies can be picky and hire more qualified professionals. Having the financial resources and capacity to hire in this job market allows these companies to select some of the best candidates.

We also know that it can be much more difficult to train and onboard new staff while working fully remotely. That’s not to say that working remotely always makes this process more difficult, but many companies were not prepared for virtual onboarding & training. Companies may likely want to hire someone who can come in and start strongly–someone with relevant experience and skills who doesn’t require much training. Companies have to be very cautious about all of their moves these days, so they may be less willing to take risks and give people chances.

When you have highly qualified professionals back in the candidate pool, it can make it more difficult for new professionals or less qualified candidates to stand out. It will be much more difficult if you lack experience or are trying to make a career transition. We’re living in an unprecedented time. You need to rise above the competition and networking remains one of the best ways to do it.

When I hear from frustrated job seekers, their first comment is usually something like, “I have applied for so many jobs, and I haven’t heard from any of them. It must be my resume.” That could be the case, but more often than not, it’s the strategy that’s lacking.

Networking for referrals is by far the best way to land jobs. You’ve heard the saying, “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” This hasn’t changed, and it’s even more true now than ever. Depending on the studies you’ll find, referrals account for anywhere between 40–60% of ALL hires on average. That means that the large majority of people who are getting jobs (especially the more competitive roles & better companies) received a referral from a current employee or connection to an internal staff member.

When it comes to applying for jobs online, let’s look at the numbers. If a job opening receives the average amount of applications (around 200), yours included, you have a 0.5% chance of getting that job. I don’t like those odds at all, especially because our time is limited. Obviously, the number might be higher if you’re more qualified than most of the applicants. However, we know that they still hire most people through referrals. Companies prefer to hire candidates who received referrals from their current employees. So, spending your time networking will probably provide you with more return on investment of your time than spending the same time applying for jobs online.

If you have a network of people in your industry, it’s time to tap in. It’s ok to ask for help. Be humble. Reconnect with old classmates. Call that family friend. Reach out to your old bosses or coworkers. Hire a career coach. Now is not the time to try to do everything yourself.

Some of you may think: “But Brett. I don’t have a network of people in my industry.” Well, tough luck. It’s time to get started. I hope this lights a fire under your butt to get going on one of the most influential factors of career success. If you want an easy way out, this is not the article for you. If you want to genuinely build your network, there are several strategies outlined here to help you.

LinkedIn

According to TopResume.com, 77% of recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates. This means that a lot of companies are shifting away from posting all of their jobs on their websites or jobs boards like Indeed and Glassdoor to having their recruiting teams go out and find candidates on LinkedIn. Posting jobs on these job boards can be expensive, and many companies are looking to reduce costs in any way that they can these days.

I always ask my clients and students, “How are you using LinkedIn?” The answers usually include “I don’t.” or “I have a ‘good’ profile.” However, LinkedIn is an entire social network. Engagement and content creation can open opportunities that you never even thought of — job opportunities without applying, additional streams of income, or building a business.

Also, most profiles are not as good as people think. Just because LinkedIn’s automated profile builder gives you an “All-Star” rating doesn’t mean that it’s working for you. I often tell people that you’re better off having a great LinkedIn profile than a great resume.

The potential with LinkedIn is so much greater. Instead of sending out your resume every time you want someone to see it, focus on drawing attention to your qualifications passively. Like the idea of getting more views on your profile from recruiters? Well, you’re gonna need to do some personal branding if you want to get found more easily. Luckily, you don’t have to be a marketing expert to do this. Just make a habit of documenting your experience and engaging with other industry leaders. This is really my area of expertise. If you want to learn more, please reach out.

Meetup

(Meetup.com or there is also an app that you can access on both the Apple App Store & Google Play.)

Meetup.com is one of the most underrated networking tools out there. I first learned about Meetup while I was a graduate student at Florida International University. They introduced it to us as a way to meet new people if we found a job in a city with no friends or close connections.

Meetup is not just for networking or professional purposes, though. There are Meetup groups for everything from fitness, video gaming, spirituality, and more. However, it’s becoming a popular place for people to gather around professional topics for networking and collaboration.

You may think, “How am I supposed to “MEET UP” with people if we are still living during a pandemic?” Well, like most industries, people have learned to pivot. Many of these Meetup groups have transitioned their meetings and events to virtual offerings. You may find events like speaker panels, workshops, speed networking, and more depending on the commitment of the group’s leadership. These can be great opportunities to learn, collaborate, and connect with new people who are also looking to build their network.

Try following up with someone on LinkedIn with a message like: “Hi (Name)! I saw you attended the Women in Digital Marketing Meetup event last night. I’m currently looking to build my network of other women in this industry, and I see we have a lot in common based on your profile!” From there you can try to find connections to spark conversation and even ask if they’re interested in following up via phone or video chat. I don’t recommend a template for outreach because you should personalize each message.

One major benefit of this transition to virtual is that it allows you to network outside of your current location. For example, if you live in Chicago and want to move to Miami, you can now attend Miami Meetups that you wouldn’t have been able to attend if they held the events in person. Talk about a silver lining! Put in the work now, so you can enjoy the benefits later. Making location transitions can be difficult.

Pro Tip: Try finding groups that are as specific as possible. For example, instead of trying to navigate a general “IT Professionals” Meetup group, dive into “Latinx Software Engineers” if these groups fit your cultural and professional identities. Obviously, there are more offerings and wider varieties in bigger cities. So, if the only groups are more general, take advantage of those. You can still find “your crowd” in the bigger groups. It might just take a little longer.

The biggest benefit to connecting with more specific groups is that you’re going into it knowing that you already have things in common and potentially similar life experiences. This makes the relationship & trust-building process much easier. It can also lead to quicker referrals.

Slack & Other Virtual Communities

For those who aren’t familiar with Slack, it is an app that includes persistent chat rooms organized by topic, private groups, and direct messaging. Many of you may have used Slack for communication because of shifting to a remote work environment.

There are many networking groups that are leveraging Slack for online community building, and I have found the most success with networking for referrals in these groups during the pandemic.

Women

• Ada’s List — https://www.adaslist.co/
• Frauvis — The Leading Supportive Community Elevating Black Women in Tech — https://frauvis.com/
• Elpha — Elpha is where women in tech talk candidly online — https://elpha.com/
• Tech Ladies — Tech Ladies connects you with the best jobs and opportunities in tech. — https://www.hiretechladies.com/
• Tech Sisters — a community that challenges the perception of Muslim women by highlighting our accomplishments in the technical space — https://www.tech-sisters.com/
• Women Who Code — Empowering Women in Technology — https://www.womenwhocode.com/

LGBTQ+ Professionals

• Out in Tech — Creating opportunities for our 40,000 LGBTQ+ members to advance their careers, grow their networks, and leverage tech for social change. — https://outintech.com/
• LGBTQ in Technology — The LGBTQ in Technology Slack is a space for LGBTQ people in technology to chat and support each other — https://lgbtq.technology/
• Queer Design Club — LGBTQ+ designers can celebrate queer contributions to the design industry and visual culture, share their work, and connect with each other. — https://queerdesign.club/

Black Professionals

• Black Tech Pipeline — A service-based platform bringing exposure, resources and opportunities to Black technologists, and our allies. — https://blacktechpipeline.com/
• Blacks in Technology — Blacks In Technology is a global platform for Black people in technology. — https://foundation.blacksintechnology.net/
• Black Code Collective — In 2016 we wanted to start an organization that would provide a safe space and community for software engineers of color. — https://blackcodecollective.com/
• Dev Color — Our mission is to empower Black software engineers to help one another grow into industry leaders. https://www.devcolor.org/welcome

Latinx Professionals

• Techqueria — Techqueria is a nonprofit that serves the largest community of Latinx in Tech. — https://techqueria.org/
• Latinas in Tech — The largest network of Latina women working across the technology sector — https://www.latinasintech.org/

Freelancers & Entrepreneurs

• Incluzion — Incluzion is a community of Black & Latinx professionals working remotely & flexibly. — https://incluzion.co/
• Women Make — Women Make is a safe space for women entrepreneurs and makers. — https://womenmake.com/

Other

• Diversify Tech — A collection of resources for under-represented people in tech — https://www.diversifytech.co/community
• 46 Slack groups for developers — https://techbeacon.com/app-dev-testing/46-slack-groups-developers

Overall Networking Best Practices

• The “where” & “who” are just as important as the “how” to network. — Finding the right environment and people is your starting point for building a powerful network. Don’t force relationships or try to build too high. Connect with like-minded pros at your level and build together through knowledge sharing and collaborations.
• Always strive for mutually beneficial relationships. — Nobody wants to feel like they are being used for a job OR that someone is trying to take without giving. You don’t have to provide referrals to add value. Share great online courses and resources for your work. Make connections within your network. Also, the value you add doesn’t have to be completely professional. Some of the best professional relationships I have started with conversations about music, gaming, or events.
• Make it easy for them to say yes. — Learn how to host a video chat, send calendar invites, and automate scheduling. Make the idea of meeting exciting. Most of the meetings I take come from people who are genuinely excited to connect over a topic that we have in common.
• Try to enjoy it. — Let’s be honest. Job searching usually sucks. As you are going through the process, connect with like-minded people for support. Build things together: host a free event, write a collaborative article, create your own job search networking group, etc. This should allow you to build your portfolio, build more and stronger connections, and stay productive during these times. This is just as much part of your job search as applying for jobs online.

Let’s engage! Please comment if you have any additional tips or questions and share with anyone who might benefit from reading this!

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Brett Ellis is a career development educator, public speaker, and Future of Work expert. He runs Brett Ellis Career Marketing Services as a professional IT career coach and virtual education consultant. After spending most of his career in education, teaching at both K-12 and post-secondary institutions, Brett shifted his focus to pursue his passion for IT workforce development.