Whether you’re at the beginning of your tech career or you’re an experienced user, you’ll likely be well aware that the community in the tech industry is incredibly social. There are hundreds of user groups and meetups available no matter your experience or area of expertise. There are a number of benefits of attending these tech meetups and connecting with your peers in person.
The events that are hosted by a range of people in the industry, provide the tech community with the opportunity to network, share ideas and learn from one another.
We’ve put together a few reasons explaining the benefits of involving yourself in the tech industry community and attending plenty of local (and even global) meetups.
Networking
The most valuable thing about the sheer number of tech community events is that they provide professionals of different backgrounds the opportunity to connect. While there are plenty of online sources for tech professionals to share ideas, these events allow you to network with like-minded individuals directly.
Should you need the help of another tech professional in the future, you will have already built up a solid network of people with various skillsets who would be happy to help.
Confidence building
Throwing yourself into events where you may not know anyone is a great way to build confidence. You’ll share experiences, make new friends, and will eventually start to feel more comfortable when talking with new people.
This will also help you on a business level. You will feel more confident when communicating and sharing your ideas with company stakeholders, clients and customers.
Sharing knowledge
If you’re familiar with our Women In Tech Q&A series, you may have noticed a common theme in the advice given by the professionals we talk with. Never stop learning! Attending meetups is a great way of sharing knowledge and learning from other professionals with different skillsets and backgrounds.
As well as learning from other attendees, speakers at these events provide insightful information on various hot topics in the industry. The content from event to event varies widely, so there is always something new to learn.
How to make the most of your next event
- Don’t be shy: try to step out of your comfort-zone speak to people you have never met and share ideas. After all, the point of attending these events is to grow your professional network.
- Share your experiences and knowledge: meetup groups are always looking for speakers to add something new to their event. So, why not contact the next meetup near you and offer to share your experiences and knowledge with your peers.
- Ask questions: whether you’re attending an event and the speaker says something you’d like them to expand on, you’re networking with someone with different expertise to you or you’re the presenter at an event and want to get your peers involved. Always ask questions at meetups, it’s one of the best ways to further your knowledge and share ideas.
- Follow up: whether you had a great chat with someone, or you found the speakers’ presentation particularly interesting. It’s a good idea to keep in touch with the people you meet. Following up lets people know that you value the connection and is an important part of networking.
Looking for your next meetup to attend? Third Republic host various meetups throughout the year in our three locations; London, Germany and New York. Alternatively, if you would like to speak at one of our future events, contact us today.
