Becoming a successful networker can be critical in helping any developer find a job or further their careers. However, it isn’t always a skill that comes naturally or comfortably to developers. In this session, Wesley Faulkner of MongoDB will share some of his advice on how to get beyond that awkwardness and succeed at professional networking.

How to Get Through the Awkwardness of Networking

There’s a lot about modern networking that we all should un-learn. Showing off your knowledge and targeting the “important” connections is the wrong approach. If you genuinely want to be an effective networker, you have to shift away from looking at these interactions as transactional. That said, it’s still hard to find people to talk to, and even harder to know to start up a conversation. I’ll give you tips that will help you work through those issues and ultimately make you more comfortable in new spaces with new people. You’ll come away from this presentation with advice you can put to use immediately.