Don’t rely on job boards and career centers to learn about the open jobs, take hold of your career search.
Times have changed, and job searching with the classifieds and job boards won’t cut it anymore. While they are still popular and a great place to survey who is hiring, having a direct or personal connection to a company will significantly increase your chances for a job interview.
Networking is critical to find the correct job. You need to be visible in the areas where potential business will meet you, listen to your experience, and get to know your passions.
Here are five unique places to find a job that you may not be leveraging today:
Every weekend, there are using 10 to 20 Startup Weekends that take place around the world. Now, they usually only take place ones or twice a year per city, so you need to plan ahead or be prepared to travel to a nearby event.
Startup Weekends are a good way of meeting businesses that sponsor entrepreneurial events and value networking, all a strong sign about their culture. I’ve known many people over the years that have found jobs or changed jobs after attending a local Startup Weekend.
Plus, you’ll make some new friends or start a new business.
Every Wednesday at 9 am all over the country, 1 Million Cups events are taking place. Groups of 20 to 200 get together, listen to a speaker, ask questions, and network. These events will vary significantly from city to city, but they will often include a jobs board once per month.
Ask the organizers about what businesses might be hiring and then introduce yourself before or after the event. I’ve seen people find employees at our local Sioux Falls 1MC event.
Our organizers will allow any brave individuals who are seeking a job to stand up and state they skills and desired jobs once a month. While we don’t get many takers, those that do really stand out from the crowd and aren’t unemployed for long.
It may be cliche to “work at the coffee shop,” but I know of people that were "caught coding in public" and offered jobs. It is not uncommon to see young entrepreneurs huddled over a laptop working away on a site project only to get interrupted by someone looking for talent.
While it may sound expensive to hang out in a coffee shop all day, think of the value of a few cups of coffee if you end up landing the perfect career? It is definitely worth a $3 cup of joe.
Sit in a high traffic area of the coffee shop, make it clear that you are a developer and that you are writing code instead of surfing Facebook or watching Youtube. Go ahead and spark up conversations with the regulars, you might be surprised who you meet.
Another suggestion is to get to know the owner. They are often there early in the morning and will be more than happy to make introductions.
You may think that a coworking space is only available to those who have a business or who are launching a business, but many of them will welcome an energetic developer to hang-out, offer advice, and maybe even pitch in on a development project for a client.
Coworking spaces may also provide classes or continuing education. Offer to teach an introductory course on setting up a website or managing social media. Do so will help build your authority as well. I cover this topic extensively in Wired For Coding.
Look into what local developer Meet-up Groups exist in your community. These groups are usually run by local developers instead of management, so you'll fit in well. They are sometimes hosted over drinks or at a business.
Meet-ups are always looking for new speakers, reach out to the group's owner and see if you can get on the calendar to speak.
Get to know which businesses are sponsoring, they are going to be the innovative companies that have built good cultures, encourage continuing education, and have a strong commitment to the community.
Use meetup.com, Facebook, or LinkedIn Groups to research where these Meet-ups occur. If none exist, consider starting one yourself.
My book, Wired For Coding, covers this and many more topics that every computer science students needs to know before they graduate with a degree.
In this book, you will find a blueprint that will guide you from computer science major to full-time developer. Step-by-step, you will do the things that no one else is doing to set yourself apart and become a front-runner for any development job in the world. From forking in GitHub to crafting a remarkable personal brand, you will be ready to be a rockstar coder from day one. And the best part is, your prospective employers will see that, too.
Are you ready to learn the secrets to landing your first developer job? Do you want to pick which business makes you a job offer after graduation? Wired for Coding is the your first step to writing your own job offer. Wired for Coding is available today through Amazon in eBook and paperwork formats.
Wired For Coding