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Professional Networking

Networking creates opportunities you won't find on job boards. Building genuine professional relationships opens doors to jobs, mentorship, collaboration, and growth.

Why Networking Matters

Benefits

  • Job opportunities: Many positions fill through referrals
  • Knowledge sharing: Learn from others' experience
  • Mentorship: Find guides for your career
  • Collaboration: Partner on projects
  • Industry insight: Stay current on trends

Common Misconceptions

Myth Reality
Networking is schmoozing It's building genuine relationships
Introverts can't network Different approaches work for everyone
You only network when job hunting Ongoing relationships are most valuable
It's about what you get Give value first

Where to Network

Online Communities

Write the Docs: - Slack community - Conferences - Meetups - Job board

LinkedIn: - Industry groups - Content engagement - Direct connections

Other Platforms: - Twitter/X - Technical writing subreddits - Discord communities - Stack Overflow (Documentation)

In-Person Events

Meetups: - Local Write the Docs chapters - STC chapters - Tech meetups - Industry events

Conferences: - Write the Docs conferences - STC Summit - Domain-specific conferences - Tech conferences with doc tracks

Informal: - Coffee meetings - Industry happy hours - Lunch with colleagues - Alumni events

Building Relationships

Starting Conversations

Online: 

## Conversation Starters

### Responding to Content
"Great post about [topic]. I especially liked [specific point].
I've found similar results when [your experience]."

### Asking for Advice
"I'm working on [challenge]. I noticed you have experience
with [relevant area]. Would you have time for a quick chat?"

### Offering Help
"I saw you're looking for [thing]. I have experience with
that and would be happy to share what I've learned."

In-Person: 

## Conference Conversation Starters

- "What brought you to this session?"
- "What's the most interesting thing you've seen today?"
- "What kind of documentation do you work on?"
- "What's your biggest documentation challenge right now?"

## Follow-Up
- "I enjoyed our conversation about [topic]."
- "Let's connect on LinkedIn."
- "I'd love to continue this conversation sometime."

Maintaining Connections

## Relationship Maintenance

### Regular Activities
- Engage with their content
- Share relevant information
- Check in periodically
- Celebrate their wins

### Touch Points
- Comment on LinkedIn posts
- Share articles they'd find useful
- Congratulate on new jobs/achievements
- Remember and reference past conversations

### Periodic Outreach
- "I saw [thing] and thought of you"
- "Checking in—how's [project/company]?"
- "Saw you're working on [thing]—that's exciting!"

Giving Before Getting

Lead with value:

  • Share useful resources
  • Make introductions
  • Offer expertise
  • Give genuine feedback
  • Help without expectation

Professional Communities

Write the Docs

The primary technical writing community:

Slack: - Active daily discussions - Multiple channels by interest - Supportive environment - Job postings

Conferences: - Portland (main) - Prague - Australia - Virtual events

Meetups: - Local chapters worldwide - Online meetups - Regular events

Society for Technical Communication (STC)

Professional organization:

  • Local chapters
  • Annual summit
  • Publications
  • Certifications
  • Special interest groups

Industry-Specific

Join communities in your domain:

  • Software: DevRel communities, language communities
  • Healthcare: AMWA, DIA
  • Finance: Industry associations
  • Engineering: Professional societies

LinkedIn Strategy

Profile Optimization

## LinkedIn Profile Checklist

### Headline
Not just "Technical Writer" but value proposition
Example: "Technical Writer | API Documentation | Developer Experience"

### Summary
- What you do
- Who you help
- What makes you different
- Call to action

### Experience
- Accomplishments, not duties
- Quantified results
- Keywords for search

### Skills
- Relevant technical writing skills
- Get endorsements
- Skills assessments

### Activity
- Share and comment regularly
- Original content occasionally
- Engage authentically

Engagement Strategy

## LinkedIn Activity

### Daily (5-10 minutes)
- Like and comment on relevant posts
- Respond to comments on your posts
- Accept/send connection requests

### Weekly
- Share one piece of content
- Comment thoughtfully on 5-10 posts
- Connect with new people

### Monthly
- Write original post or article
- Review and update profile
- Clean up connections

Networking Events

Before the Event

## Event Preparation

- [ ] Register and confirm
- [ ] Review speaker/attendee list
- [ ] Identify people to meet
- [ ] Prepare conversation topics
- [ ] Bring business cards
- [ ] Plan your introduction

At the Event

## Event Strategy

### Arrival
- Arrive early (smaller crowds)
- Start with less intimidating conversations
- Get comfortable with the space

### During
- Set goal (e.g., meet 5 new people)
- Quality over quantity
- Listen more than talk
- Ask follow-up questions
- Exchange contact info

### Exit Gracefully
- "It was great meeting you"
- "I should let you meet others"
- "Let's connect on LinkedIn"

After the Event

## Post-Event Follow-Up

### Within 24 Hours
- Connect on LinkedIn
- Send brief follow-up message
- Reference specific conversation

### Within 1 Week
- Send promised resources
- Schedule follow-up meeting if discussed
- Add to contact management

### Ongoing
- Maintain connection
- Share relevant content
- Build on the relationship

Finding Mentors

What Mentors Provide

  • Career guidance
  • Skill development advice
  • Industry perspective
  • Network introductions
  • Honest feedback

Finding Mentors

## Mentor Search Strategy

### Where to Look
- Your network
- Professional communities
- Former colleagues
- Industry events
- Company programs

### How to Ask
Don't ask "Will you be my mentor?"

Instead:
"I admire your work in [area]. Would you be open to
a 30-minute call to share your perspective on [specific topic]?"

Then build relationship over time.

Being a Good Mentee

  • Come prepared with specific questions
  • Respect their time
  • Act on advice (and report back)
  • Express gratitude
  • Pay it forward

Networking for Introverts

Strategies That Work

## Introvert-Friendly Networking

### Online First
- Build relationships online
- Deeper one-on-one conversations
- Written communication

### Small Groups
- Prefer small events
- Schedule one-on-ones
- Quality over quantity

### Preparation
- Know who you want to meet
- Have conversation topics ready
- Give yourself permission to leave

### Recovery
- Schedule recharge time
- Don't force extroversion
- Play to your strengths

Summary

Effective networking:

  • Builds genuine relationships over time
  • Gives value before asking
  • Happens both online and in-person
  • Requires consistent effort
  • Opens doors you didn't know existed

Your network is a career asset. Invest in building it.