Alex Stobe - Dev Networking

NETWORKING!It’s not just free beer and pizza

Sunday, 23 October, 11

NETWORKING The Game Plan

• Why are you here?

• Pitching yourself

• Matchmaking

• Exploratory coffee

• “If” & “When” are powerful synonyms for “No”


What Do You Want?Develop A Networking Objective

• Have you thought about your career path?• Wanna be a CTO? VP of R&D? Co-Founder?

• Who are you?• Fortune 500 or a startup person?

• What kinds of projects/problems do you love?


• You have less than 2 minutes to make a lasting impression. Remember: • Passion Speaks • Experience Proves• Ideas Intrigue

• Make people want to reach out to you

Your Personal PitchA Reason To Remember You


It’s Who You KnowA Cliché For A Reason

• Opportunities come from various sources


Why Can’t We Be Friends?Should You Have Coffee With This Person?

• Speak with many people. Meet with a few• When deciding if you should network with

a peer, ask yourself: • Could I work with this person? • Do they share my vision? • Can I learn something from them?


Headhunters!Do You Want To Be Caught In Their Net?

• When deciding if you should network with a recruiter, ask yourself:• Do they work with interesting companies?• Are they a specialist or a generalist?• Do I feel comfortable speaking with them?


Sometimes It’s Just a CoffeeExploratory Conversations Open Doors

• Meet with recruiters & hiring managers to • Make contacts with the right people • Learn something new about your industry• See if the grass really is greener


• Manage expectations

• Keep it casual

• Choose your meetings wisely

• Keep an open mind

Sometimes It’s Just a CoffeeHow To Play The Field


Say No & Stay Friends• Decline offers & inquiries in a manner that

creates future opportunities • Use your pitch & talk about timing • Let them know what you want Example response to a recruitment email:

“Thanks for your interest. This does look like a great opportunity. However, my team is in the middle of an important product launch and I couldn’t leave for at least 6 months. Also, while most of my experience has been with enterprise level Java apps, I’ve actually been using Objective-C recently and am loving native app dev. Ideally, my next move will allow me to build on my mobile experience and/or move into more of a leadership role.“


NETWORKING • Think about who you are and what you want • Learn to articulate your selling points• Know who you know & who you should• Have coffee with the right people, even when it’s

the wrong time• When declining an opportunity, state what you’re

ideally be looking for


My Shameless Plug If you’re a startup person and want to reach me: Email: [email protected] Linkedin: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/alexstobe

Twitter: @alexStobe

Looking for a ‘foot in the door’ opportunity?

REDJR.CA


Technology

Alex Stobe - Dev Networking