Shocked that networking events actually work for finding jobs

I always thought networking events were a waste of time. Stuffy rooms, awkward conversations, no real results. But I went to one in Austin last month just to prove myself right. Talked to a guy from a tech startup for like 10 minutes about my project management background. He emailed me the next day about a role they were filling. Three interviews later I got an offer for $15k more than my current job. Has anyone else had a random convo at an event lead to something real?

3 comments

3 Comments

hannah_west3911h ago

Oh man, I totally get that feeling. I went to a networking thing in Dallas last year and literally spent the first 15 minutes spilling coffee on my own shirt, which I think is a natural talent of mine. Ended up chatting with this lady who also had a stain on her blouse, and we bonded over being a mess. Turns out she was hiring for a marketing coordinator role and I got an interview out of it, though I still didn't get the job because I think my coffee stain was more impressive than my resume. It's wild how the most random, awkward convo can actually turn into something real.

theas2811h agoMost Upvoted

That's actually the secret to networking right there (and I've seen it a ton in my line of work). People remember someone real way more than someone trying to sell themselves, so leaning into the awkward stuff makes you human. Next time just lean into the mess, it works way better than any practiced pitch.

josephbailey10h ago

and that's pretty much exactly what happened to my buddy mark last year. he went to some tech mixer in seattle and was basically just there to grab free beers and leave. ended up stuck at the bar next to this older guy who was complaining about how hard it was to find a decent sysadmin. mark had been doing sysadmin work for like 8 years but was too shy to say anything at first. after like 20 minutes of the guy ranting mark finally mentioned he did that stuff and they talked for another hour. that guy was the CTO of a mid size company and mark got a job offer before the night was even over. crazy how just being in the right spot at the right time can change everything.