Where to Find People to Network With

Networking is so important to your career success, but where do you find people you can network with?

Most people avoid networking because they think it’s awkward and informal, but there are lots of venues for networking that aren’t so impersonal.

Your Classmates

If you’re currently enrolled in school, your classmates are the first people you’ll network with. You probably don’t even realize you’re doing it! But the people you chat with in class, work with for group projects, meet in students groups, etc, are people who you are networking with. If you come across classmates who are very smart, ambitious, organized — basically, do you think they will be going places? Keep up with them even after your class has ended. Add each other on LinkedIn, meet up for coffee, etc.

Alumni

Whether you’re still a student or have already graduated, the alumni network from your university is a great resource for networking. Many universities have set up some kind of online alumni network — if you’ve already graduated, make sure you join, because the current students who reach out to you are ambitious and will likely have successful careers — and you want them in your network. Otherwise, if you are a student or you yourself need some guidance, search through your alumni directory for people working in your field or industry and reach out to connect for a chat over Zoom or a coffee.

Your Coworkers

Same as your classmates, you’re networking with coworkers without realizing it. However, make sure you are connecting with people beyond your team or the folks you work with day-to-day. Seek out other people within your company who you can learn from or who are following a career path that you are interested in. Ask if you can meet for lunch or coffee, connect on LinkedIn, and — this is important! — be sure to keep in touch when one of you leaves the company.

Online Communities

Thanks to Slack, Discord, and similar platforms, there are so many online communities that are excellent resources for networking. I have compiled a list of online communities for data & analytics, however, search [your industry] + Slack or Discord, and you will likely find relevant communities. Many of these groups have some kind of “donut bot” random pairings channel where you can opt in to be regularly paired with another random person who has opted in for the same thing, and this is a great way to connect 1:1 with folks in your field. Additionally, participate in the conversations that are happening, ask questions, and if you come across someone with a background or experience that is interesting or relevant to you, ask if you can connect on LinkedIn and/or chat over Zoom.

MeetUp.com

MeetUp is a website for meeting new people with shared interests. As you can guess, there are tons of meetup groups that have been created for various industries and job functions. Many of them host regular networking events or educational events that will also be a good opportunity to connect with people.

People You Meet in Non-Professional Settings

It is also possible to network with folks you meet in other settings — for example, I have discovered that people in my various running & fitness groups and book clubs are also working in or interested in similar industries and jobs as me, and I have been able to grow my professional network just by asking “what do you do?” when I meet someone in another setting.

Your Network

The people you network with … are great people to try to find more people to network with! For example, if you’re in a Slack community related to one area of your industry, ask if anyone is aware of communities related to another part of your industry that is relevant to you. Or, if you meet someone who seems very well-connected in your local community, ask if they know anyone working at your dream company or working in your target job role or enrolled in a graduate program you’re considering. People love being helpful, but won’t know how to help you unless you directly ask for what you’re looking for.

Where else have you met people to network with?

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