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Old 11-17-2010, 09:25 PM
 
12 posts, read 24,488 times
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Portland metro residents -- how would you go about building a personal network when you're new in the area? I'm particularly interested in the IT field. Thanks in advance.
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Old 11-17-2010, 11:52 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
1,657 posts, read 4,484,001 times
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Start with Meet up dot com, and search out the IT and related fields plus software support groups.
Meetups near Portland, Oregon - Meetup

But understand, the IT field is very full, and any unemployed newbie may be regarded as employment competition and frozen out. If you have a job in IT, you will be much more welcome, IMO. May I presume you perhaps envision a Catch-22? Hmmm?

Phil
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Old 11-18-2010, 09:06 AM
 
12 posts, read 24,488 times
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Certainly does sound like a Catch-22. I will check out Meet Up, perhaps I can find some compatible groups. Any other ideas?
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Old 11-18-2010, 11:05 AM
 
Location: Portland, OR
9,855 posts, read 11,931,928 times
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Yes, but I won't reveal them because you are a competitor... grrrr...
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Old 11-18-2010, 11:15 AM
 
Location: Portland, OR
9,855 posts, read 11,931,928 times
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Psych. Its just me, but I don't think meet up or linked in or any other professional networking sites work unless you have what is desired... a job. If you are a job seeker, the incumbents see you as a pest and the other job seekers see you as competition. My approach, be patient. Make relationships for no other ulterior motive but the connection itself. Take lots of time to cultivate these connections. Speed up the rate of new connections (but not the cultivation time) by joining a group of some kind. Preferably with a focus that you are interested in. After some time... six months?... a year... !!!... maybe longer.... you will be able to turn some of those connections into job leads and more to the point, job references. Anyone can find a job on their own. Getting someone to vouch for you, go to HR and get your resume pulled from File 13 and put on the hiring managers desk doesn't require associating with other IT people it requires associating with people, period. Good luck... competitor... grrrr.

H
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Old 11-21-2010, 04:51 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,449,641 times
Reputation: 35863
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leisesturm View Post
Psych. Its just me, but I don't think meet up or linked in or any other professional networking sites work unless you have what is desired... a job. If you are a job seeker, the incumbents see you as a pest and the other job seekers see you as competition. My approach, be patient. Make relationships for no other ulterior motive but the connection itself. Take lots of time to cultivate these connections. Speed up the rate of new connections (but not the cultivation time) by joining a group of some kind. Preferably with a focus that you are interested in. After some time... six months?... a year... !!!... maybe longer.... you will be able to turn some of those connections into job leads and more to the point, job references. Anyone can find a job on their own. Getting someone to vouch for you, go to HR and get your resume pulled from File 13 and put on the hiring managers desk doesn't require associating with other IT people it requires associating with people, period. Good luck... competitor... grrrr.

H
I am not in IT but I did have that happen to me when I was looking for a paralegal job. I joined a local chapter of a paralegal organization and found that if you said you were there because you were looking for a job you were shunned instantly. You were considered competition by others who were looking and by those who had jobs but were afraid someone would come along and replace them.

The group's main purpose was actually to educate already working paralegals in the newest legal procedures and other legal matters. It was not supposed to be for networking and any one who joined thinking it was soon found out differently.

But networking does definitely work when you have established yourself in a job and want to move on. Then your contacts can be invaluable.
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Old 11-27-2010, 07:46 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
6 posts, read 9,791 times
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Well there's the usual social media sites. LinkedIn, Facebook.

You might just go out and meet people.
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Old 12-01-2010, 10:48 AM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
10,990 posts, read 20,567,401 times
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There are lots of interest groups, find one that does your kind of things and you will meet like minded people. Some will be married but they likely know singles and if you make a good impression you might get an introduction.
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Old 12-19-2010, 12:26 PM
 
12 posts, read 24,488 times
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I do belong to FB and LinkedIn. Just joined the Workforce Hi Tech networking group, a whole lot of people like me - middle aged and unemployed in the IT industry. But... they do claim to be placing people in new jobs so hopefully I'll be able to make some good contacts and new friends there. I'm fighting very hard the hibernation urge that dark and rainy weather gives me.
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