What are networking events? Events where you meet people with similar interests, building your network of contacts, as well as building your network of skills that you understand.
I am very fortunate and I live in London, so events are in abundance, if you live in a tech city, I’m sure you will find them lots too, but hey, there are always webinar, online bootcamps, online communities you can join on Reddit, discord, gist, etc.
Why go to networking events. If you are passionate about the tech industry, it is a fantastic way to fully immerse yourself in the industry. If you really like using a technology find an event that talks about that technology, or even go to events of the company that backs/develops it.
Believe me, you will learn, and it will be fun. I even recommend going to events in areas that you may be interested in, but not sure yet. See what the vibe is like, talk to people about how you will get started. Meet people in a similar situation than you, and you can even use that to create a group chat on a social media, where you can share related articles + future events you spot.
I aim to go to lots of events, and I believe my technology breadth have really expanded. There is only so much knowledge you can for yourself, there are people out there who has gone through the same journey, you can learn from their experience.
There is also such an opportunity to teach others too, with each event I learn more, and thus, I am able to share more. I meet people who ask similar questions I used to, or speak about a topic I have previously engaged in, and will be able to share my learnings and my own thoughts.
I think it is even useful going to events in topics where you think you strong in. For one, you will probably learn something new, and also, you learn how you will be able to teach that skill to others, by analysing the event hosts. Perfect for bringing back knowledge via lunch and learns at work. Maybe even run an event with you and your pals who are share similar interests.