Have you been going to tech meetups regularly? If not, you’re missing out on a significant opportunity to advance your career. Here are a few of the reasons that participation should be considered mandatory for tech professionals:

• Learn Your Community – Tech meetups are designed to bring together locally centered tech professionals. That makes them a great way to learn about who is around, what is going on, and what sorts of issues are affecting your local tech community.
• Network – Networking shouldn’t only be a priority for job seekers. Even employed professionals late in their careers need to be cultivating professional contacts. Going to tech meetups is a great way to meet and interact with all kinds of tech professionals in one place. The time and effort you put in could pay dividends down the road.
• Educate Yourself – Most tech meetups are more than just a “meet and greet,” they also have one or more speakers who give expert lectures on topics relevant to professionals throughout tech fields. Absorbing these lectures is a great (and low-cost) way to keep yourself on the cutting edge, pick up new skills/ideas, and connect with subject experts. Conversely, giving one of these lectures yourself can quickly establish you as a local thought leader.
• Find Employment Avenues – The reason that tech meetups have taken on their own singular reputation is that they’ve become know as incubators for startups. Professionals with a wide variety of skill sets use these meetings to start and grow their businesses, and they’re frequently recruiting at them. If you would like to get in on the ground floor of the next tech giant, you owe it to yourself to start attending meetups.
• Have Fun – A room full of IT professionals might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but it is for some people. Tech meetups are distinct from other kinds of events because there is usually an excited energy and relatively laidback atmosphere. You get to meet a lot of interesting, bold people who are eager to talk about their passions and learn about your own. For that reason alone you should go, get active, and meet people who you are excited to engage with.

Participating in tech meetups is a great way to take a proactive approach to achieving your career goals. Learn about other ways by working with the IT career specialists at RennerBrown.