Perks of Joining & Attending Meetups

Have you heard of Meetup? If you’re not utilizing Meetup to your full advantage, then you’re missing out on excellent opportunities to network and boost your visibility to the larger employers, recruiters, and peers who would like you to work with them.

With over 45 million users globally, Meetup is a sure melting pot for networking, hobbies, and interest groups. In Australia alone, there are thousands of Meetup groups, and as a member, you can join as many as you can. So how can you:

• Setup Your Profile: Your Meetup profile will be searchable on search engines like Google, so it’s important to keep this page as professional as you would your LinkedIn and Twitter profiles. Update your profile to become more visible to recruiters and employers by using relevant keywords that relate to your skills, experience, and industry.
• Connect Locally: Join Meetup groups relevant for your skill/interest.

And the most important part is networking for these events. The usual networking courtesy and rules apply for most Meetup events; however, some of these meetups might have specific engagement rules, so pay attention and prepare.

• Carry your LinkedIn profile ready to connect: Ensure your LinkedIn and social profiles are easy to search and find, or simply use LinkedIn QR Code.
• It's about networking and not sales: Be prepared with questions and topics to discuss for your meetup.
• Follow up and connect: Meetups have a “Good to see you” feature, and you can also request to connect on LinkedIn or exchange emails so that you both can keep in touch beyond the Meetup group.

We would like to hear from you on your journey to seeking your dream job and also on how you prepare for your job hunts. If you are looking for your next opportunity, I would love to hear from you.