Successful networking in the tech industry requires strategic approaches beyond traditional methods, as confirmed by field experts. This article will guide you through 18 proven techniques to build meaningful professional connections that can accelerate career growth and create new opportunities. From contributing to open source projects to mentoring young professionals, these practical strategies help tech professionals establish genuine relationships that stand the test of time.

• Engage in Niche Communities Through Collaboration
• Solve Problems Together Instead of Small Talk
• Help Others Online to Create Genuine Connections
• Contribute to Open Source for Real Credibility
• Attend Industry and Peripheral Events Regularly
• Technical Conferences Develop Valuable Partnerships
• Create Valuable Content to Attract Right People
• Blogs Connect You to Unexpected Communities
• Consistent Presence Builds Trust and Visibility
• Thematic Events Lead to Joint Projects
• Face-to-Face Talks Build Trust Faster
• Show Products in Action Creates Strong Bonds
• Educate First to Create Lasting Relationships
• In-Person Events Reveal the Human Factor
• Mentor Young Professionals for Lasting Networks
• Mix Approaches for Natural Tech Connections
• Public Contributions Become Your Best Portfolio
• Share Knowledge to Build Authentic Networks

18 Networking Tips From Experts To Upskill Your Tech Career

Engage in Niche Communities Through Collaboration

One of the best ways to connect and network in the tech space is to engage in niche professional communities (rather than simply amassing contacts). Engaging in smaller, niche groups, forums, or opportunities, like open source projects, permits you to start interacting with peers and colleagues through real collaboration.

“When you offer meaningful advice, help to solve an issue, or ultimately provide a contribution to a project that is incredibly useful and informative, others start seeing you as a part of their professional ecology, rather than as “some LinkedIn name.”

The fact that you are engaged in collaboration builds trust and suggests a pathway to tangible opportunities — a job, a partnership, an invite to an exclusive group. After spending time engaging with others in meaningful ways, the connections become organic, but are based on shared intellectual curiosity and respect, not because you made small talk or were merely active.

Volodymyr Kaminovskyy, Ceo, Lionwood software

Solve Problems Together Instead of Small Talk

Network where people are working, not just where they’re talking.

Really, the best networking I’ve done in tech always came through small workshops where everyone worked on actual technical problems together. 

“Three years ago, I joined a session on scaling Kubernetes clusters, and instead of polite introductions and “what do you do” small talk, we dove straight into code, debated trade-offs and tested fixes in real time. Within two hours, I knew how people thought under pressure, how generous they were with knowledge and whether they could collaborate. You rarely get that from conference hall conversations”.

And those relationships actually lasted. I still reach out to two engineers from that session when testing new infrastructure, and the conversations are always productive because we built trust through actual problem-solving.

Michal Kierul, CEO & Tech Entrepreneur, InTechHouse

Help Others Online to Create Genuine Connections

Honestly, one of the absolute best ways to network in the tech industry is to just show up and help out, especially online. It sounds simple, but here’s what works for me: jump into Twitter threads, Slack channels, or GitHub projects with the genuine intention of solving someone’s problem or sharing a cool insight. Suddenly, people recognize your name, and boom, you’re on their radar for opportunities that never see a job board. That sense of community and mutual support sticks!

“For example, I once answered a random question in a dev Slack and ended up collaborating with the CTO of a rising startup. No stuffy conferences, no awkward elevator pitches, just being genuinely useful among peers, often from your own home in PJs. Stay active on LinkedIn, reply to posts (not just like them), and share your tech fails and wins so people see you as real, not just another profile”.

The industry moves fast, and real relationships are built on shared knowledge, small favors, and genuine curiosity. Help someone, follow up, and chat beyond the headlines; it’s how tech pros find hidden jobs and great mentors. If you want to grow your network and influence, dive in with kindness and curiosity, and let your expertise speak for itself.

Nik Aggar, Business Development Manager, Outstaff Your Team

Contribute to Open Source for Real Credibility

Contributing to open-source projects is one of the best ways to network and demonstrate your abilities to others through real work. Open-source projects allow you to build credibility by solving real-world problems collaboratively with others.

This approach contrasts with many traditional networking events, where conversations can feel transactional. The site offers numerous projects that you can contribute to at your convenience. All projects maintain a backlog of tickets that you can search through to find tasks matching your skill level.

“A few years ago, when I entered the AI automation space, I began contributing small bug fixes to an AI framework that was still under development. Other contributors noticed my efforts and recommended me to the core maintainers for further collaboration. These were people I never would have met through conferences, webinars, or LinkedIn.”

The connections I made from contributing to this project developed into long-term collaborations and partnerships for my own AI startup.

Mitchell Cookson, Co-Founder, AI Tools

Attend Industry and Peripheral Events Regularly

In-person events are the most effective way to network. I have not had to attend a job interview in over 30 years of gainful employment, and I attribute that to two things: consistently showing up and doing my job well. When I say “showing up,” I mean that I attend events whenever possible. I attend industry events on behalf of my employer, and I also participate in peripheral events, even when my employer doesn’t require it.

What does that mean? In every industry, there are events that we may be required to attend as part of our job responsibilities. When I come across these opportunities, I bring them to my employer’s attention and see if they would like me to attend. If they do, these are not only opportunities for my employer to gain knowledge or clients, but they are also opportunities for me to get to know important industry players.

In addition to industry events, I keep an eye out for peripheral events that I can attend (as an attendee) either after hours or on weekends. Here too, I can meet people who can help me with my existing work or, if I am looking for work, assist me in finding a new opportunity.

“Don’t misunderstand, I am not “always looking for work.” I’ve been employed for at least eight years in my last two jobs and am in my third year at my present employer. I’m just ensuring that I am visible and valuable to my current employer, while also establishing contacts that can benefit me now or in the future”.

So, even if your job is technical, you can learn a great deal by being a participant in real-person events a few times each year, and at the same time, ensure that you have a future no matter what happens at your present employer.

Joe Alagna, Chief Strategy Officer, it.com Domains Ltd

Technical Conferences Develop Valuable Partnerships

I think the best way to get to know people in IT is to attend specialized technical conferences and communities, where you can not only talk about trends but also develop valuable partnerships.

“Trust is built in such environments, as people share their own experiences and look for partners for new solutions. For example, after one of the conferences, we met engineers from a European company, and this meeting grew into a joint project to implement an IoT solution for a “smart city.”

It is also important not to limit yourself to offline events: being active in professional Slack or LinkedIn groups helps to maintain contacts after meetings.

This approach allows us to quickly find experts for consultations and joint projects, as well as constantly update our own contact base.

Pavlo Tkhir, CTO & Co‑Founder, Euristiq

Create Valuable Content to Attract Right People

We have experienced that the most effective strategy to network in a challenging sector such as life sciences is not to keep on networking, but to begin to assist others. The right people in our case, like a “Regulatory Affairs Manager,” are not at big tech events finding answers but are seen seeking great solutions to their tough compliance issues.

To provide you with a bigger picture, I attended a lot of events and got business cards. This was actually a waste of our time and money, so what we did was decide to create highly useful content that solves a real problem.

“We have developed a guide that we named “The Telehealth-QMS Integration Playbook” to assist with such rules as ISO 13485:2016. We give it away for free, and with this action, the right people now come to us since we have already offered them something valuable. That is how we established a web of trust which resulted in more than 130 customers in the field of life science”.

Allan Murphy Bruun, Co-founder and Director of Business Development, SimplerQMS

Blogs Connect You to Unexpected Communities

For me personally, the blog is by far the most efficient. My pipeline looks the following: I run YouTube, people from YouTube find me on LinkedIn, send a connection request, and here we go – we start networking. Some encounters are surprisingly good. For example, recently I met a guy who introduced me to the massive Salesforce community in the Netherlands. All through the YouTube – LinkedIn chain.

I have tried various kinds of networking ways.

“The best ever is if you know someone from your school. This is the easiest to approach, but since this is more or less a luck-related issue, and not everyone is lucky enough to study at a world-leading university and just know people by default, I will vote for the blog 9 out of 10 times. I’ll leave 1 point for networking events”.

They’re extremely random. You never know who you’ll meet, but there’s always a random chance to get tech contacts.

Jeff Tilley, Founder & CEO, Muncly

Consistent Presence Builds Trust and Visibility

“In my experience, one of the most effective ways to network in the tech industry is simply showing up and putting yourself out there. You can’t build genuine connections sitting behind a screen all the time.”

Some of my most valuable professional relationships came from in-person events, casual meetups, and even random coffee shop conversations.

When you show up consistently where like-minded people gather — tech meetups, hackathons, or conferences — you naturally build trust and visibility. People start recognizing you, remembering you, and eventually, opportunities follow. In the end, it’s not just about being the smartest person in the room, it’s about being the one who actually shows up.

Praveen Kumar, Sr. Software Engineer, Appzoro Technologies Inc.

Thematic Events Lead to Joint Projects

The best way to build a network in IT is to participate in thematic events where you can meet practitioners and potential partners. For instance, at a dev conference, we met a team from another startup, which turned into a joint project and long-term partnership.

“I also recommend being active in professional Facebook or LinkedIn groups, commenting on posts, sharing your own cases, and asking questions so that you are noticed and appreciated as an expert. This will help to maintain contacts after meetings and also establish new connections, because regular discussions about real cases allow you to find colleagues and experts for consultations faster”.

This approach significantly expands the network of acquaintances and opens up new opportunities for product and team development.

Alex Vach, CEO & Founder at Overcode, Overcode.tech

Face-to-Face Talks Build Trust Faster

I think the best way to network in tech right now is to go a bit old-school. Everyone’s obsessed with being more digital than the next person, but that just makes genuine connections rare.

“I’d rather grab a beer with someone or swap WhatsApp numbers than send another LinkedIn request. You remember people you’ve actually talked to, not just scrolled past”.

In my experience, it builds real trust, and trust moves faster than any online intro. It’s funny, while everyone’s chasing automation, the most human move in the room still stands out. Guess some things don’t need upgrading.

Adam Czeczuk, Head of Consulting Services, Think Beyond

Show Products in Action Creates Strong Bonds

“We tested a gamified approach to networking: instead of dry presentations, we had interactive challenges for participants. This creates an unforgettable experience and much stronger connections between people”.

However, in general, the best way to get to know each other in tech is to show your product in action. When people see how your technology actually solves a problem, they reach out to you — without formal pitches or business cards.

Taras Tymoshchuk, CEO, Co-Founder, Geniusee

Educate First to Create Lasting Relationships

One of the most effective ways to network in the tech industry is by approaching every interaction with an educational mindset. Rather than starting with a sales pitch, strong connections are built by listening to others’ challenges and offering insights that genuinely add value. This approach not only establishes credibility but also positions you as a resource people can trust; a vital factor in a field where relationships and expertise often determine long-term success.

As a managed service provider in Chicago, we’ve found this strategy particularly effective across industries ranging from law to education to manufacturing.

“By focusing on education over transaction, networking shifts from a one-time introduction into an ongoing relationship. The result is more authentic collaboration, stronger trust, and opportunities that emerge naturally over time”.

Nick Kliminski, Client Relations Specialist, GO Technology Group Managed IT Services

In-Person Events Reveal the Human Factor

In my opinion, the most effective way to build connections in the tech industry is through in-person networking at industry events.

“Online communication is important, but no LinkedIn conversation can replace a short chat after a panel or over coffee at a conference. That’s where genuine connections, trust, and understanding of who you want to work with truly emerge”.

At DreamX, we actively participate in industry events because they open doors to partnerships, collaborations, and new clients. In today’s world, where everyone has an impressive portfolio, the human factor remains the key and networking is what allows you to see it.

Alexandr Korshykov, Founder & CEO, DreamX

Mentor Young Professionals for Lasting Networks

“One of the most effective ways is to mentor younger professionals. In the tech industry, students quickly become colleagues or even partners. This creates strong professional connections that work for years to come”.

Also, the idea is that practical work side by side at hackathons or intensive workshops builds trust better than any networking session. When you solve complex problems together, it creates the basis for partnerships and even investment opportunities.

Aleksandr Adamenko, Co-Founder, Product Owner, Winday

Mix Approaches for Natural Tech Connections

I think the best way to network is to mix a few different approaches. Virtual coffee chats are great, and LinkedIn or email can work too. I like using Loom videos because they help create more of a human interaction up front instead of just cold outreach. Engaging with people’s content on LinkedIn or other social platforms is another good way to build a connection.

“On top of that, I’d say tech meetups, mock interview events, and talking with folks in the industry (or even hiring leaders) are smart moves. Conferences can also be worthwhile every now and then to meet emerging founders and see new products”.

At the end of the day, it really comes down to picking the channel that feels most natural to you and leaning into it. That’s usually the most effective way to build real connections in this space.

Jesse Tuggle, Sr. Technical Recruiter

Public Contributions Become Your Best Portfolio

I develop and operate game servers at large scale, and GitHub has directly earned me more than $40K in consulting in the last year.

“I began working on a memory leak in one of the more popular Minecraft plugins that was crashing servers of thousands of users. I didn’t just submit code. I also wrote down the reason that certain JVM settings were crashing at peak levels of players and what had to be altered at the thread pool level”.

Three hosting firms approached me in six weeks after they noticed the way I managed some of the problems they were grappling with. One of them employed me after reading my response regarding tick rate management of 200+ player servers. Your donations to the masses are now your portfolio. My old issue remarks on lag mitigation continue to be referred to by developers, and that visibility continues to open up new opportunities. Get your best technical thinking in view. It is self-explanatory, and the right individuals will discover you.

Michael Pedrotti, Founder / Tech Entrepreneur, GhostCap

Share Knowledge to Build Authentic Networks

One of the most effective (and often underestimated) ways to network in the tech industry is through intentional sharing. As an educational technologist, I’ve seen firsthand how sharing insights, resources, and lessons learned not only strengthens connections within schools, but it also builds bridges across industries.

At its core, technology is a field defined by collective knowledge and rapid iteration. Open-source projects, user forums, and professional communities exist because people choose to share their expertise. When I contribute tips, troubleshooting strategies, or reflections on classroom technology, I’m not just helping a colleague solve a problem, but I’m also signaling openness, collaboration, and my continued enthusiasm to learn and grow.

“The principle is simple: technology itself thrives on sharing. Open-source projects, user forums, and professional communities exist because people contribute knowledge freely. When you share, you establish credibility, signal generosity, invite reciprocity, and cultivate trust. Such qualities make networking authentic rather than transactional”.

At a time when the educational tech industry is defined by both rapid innovation and constant disruptions, the instinct to share rather than to hoard information is a fitting strategy.

Ultimately, people tend to remember those who helped them learn. By sharing, you position yourself at the heart of conversations, which is where the most meaningful networking happens.

Sharing keeps us connected — and is a frequent reminder of why we got into technology in the first place.

Kari Luecke, Educational Technologist, University School of Nashville

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start networking as a tech beginner?

Join niche communities like Reddit’s r/learnprogramming, Discord servers for specific frameworks (e.g., Reactiflux), or contribute to beginner-friendly open-source repos on GitHub. Engage by answering questions, sharing small projects, or attending free virtual meetups on Meetup.com. Aim for 1-2 meaningful interactions weekly—consistency beats perfection.

How does contributing to open-source projects help networking?

Publishing blogs on Dev.to, YouTube tutorials, or newsletters positions you as an expert, attracting peers and collaborators. A viral post on LLMs could spark DMs from AI researchers. Use SEO keywords (e.g., “React hooks best practices”) and cross-post to Reddit/HackerNews. Engage commenters to convert readers into connections.

How do I network as an underrepresented group in tech?

Seek inclusive spaces like Women Who Code, Black in Technology, or Latinx in Tech Slack groups. Allies can amplify your voice at events. Share your unique perspective in content to attract diverse collaborators. Use LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” with pronouns for visibility.

Why mentor others to grow my network?

Mentoring via platforms like ADPList or local code schools builds reciprocal trust and showcases leadership. Mentees often become advocates, referring you for roles or co-founding projects. It also deepens your expertise through teaching. Start with 30-minute coffee chats or office hours on Calendly.