I used to think networking events were a waste of time, but one in Chicago changed my mind

My old boss made me go to this industry meetup about two years ago, and I spent the whole time by the snack table thinking it was pointless. Then I got talking to a guy about a project he was stuck on, and I had solved a similar issue the month before. I gave him a quick tip, and he ended up offering me a contract for some freelance work. It wasn't about handing out business cards, it was just having a real talk about work. Has anyone else landed a job or project from a random chat at one of these things?

2 comments

2 Comments

sean_walker4510d agoMost Upvoted

Totally felt the same way about those events. That kind of real talk is what actually makes them worth it, not the forced small talk. Changed my whole view on just showing up.

claire_butler110d ago

Seriously? That's wild. So was the project he was stuck on the exact same tech problem, or just a similar type of challenge? I'm trying to picture how that talk even started. Like, were you both just complaining about a specific software bug, or was it more about the general approach to the work?