Finding Local Networking Events for Career Growth

If you’re looking to grow your network in Nashville, here’s a quick rundown of where I’ve spent time over the years and my takeaways: CCIM Chapter: I started going to pursue the designation and stayed because of the people. Great mix of brokers and industry-adjacent folks. The broker breakfasts/lunches are a good place to start, and this chapter is easily one of the best in the country. NAIOP: Monthly meetings with strong attendance and consistently good speakers. One of the better ways to get intel on big projects and who’s doing what around town. Great all stages of your career, and the Gala is basically the annual Nashville CRE reunion. CRE615: Started as more broker-heavy and has turned into a beast of a networking group that touches anything and everything CRE. Always a fun crowd, with happy hours, volunteer events, and other opportunities to keep you plugged in. Entrepreneur Center: It’s been a few years, but they used to have a cheap membership that allowed you to attend lunches, workshops, and other events. I still bump into people today who I first met in those rooms, and I consider them highly valuable to my career. BNI: Closed-seat networking. Early in my career, it helped me build real relationships with bankers, insurance brokers, and other service providers. Bigger time/money commitment, but if you land in a chapter with a strong commercial presence, it can establish some long-term referral partners. Connect Nashville: Free events all over town, almost every day of the week. If you want to meet a lot of people and shake a lot of hands, this is it. I used to throw one or two of these on my calendar each week to grow my personal brand. From a CRE brokerage standpoint, the more general business networking groups helped me get my name out there and led to several tenant-rep deals. There were very few landlord deals that came from those directly, but those opportunities are usually one introduction away. A few other groups have always been on my short list, but never gotten plugged in: - Urban Land Institute - SIOR - Chamber of Commerce - Rotary Club - Phoenix Club ...and then there are groups that have nothing to do with my job but have been great places to serve and meet people: - Safe Haven Family Shelter - Dream Streets - Teen Dream Center - Search Ministries No right or wrong way to do it. Figure out where you enjoy spending your time, show up consistently, and good things will follow.

🤝 Networking in Germany: It’s More Than Just Job Hunting! In a recent poll, you voted that, besides finding the right companies, your biggest challenge is networking. Here’s how you can expand your network and find hidden job opportunities: 🔹 1. Join Industry Events & Meetups ✅ Tech conferences (e.g., Bits & Pretzels, OMR, Web Summit) ✅ Startup events (e.g., Berlin Startup Night, Hamburg Startups) ✅ Meetup.com events in your industry (IT, finance, marketing, consulting) ✅ Local Chamber of Commerce or professional networking events 💡 Tip: Many companies hire through referrals, so even a casual conversation at an event could lead to an opportunity! 🔹 2. Use LinkedIn the Right Way LinkedIn is a place to build relationships. ✅ Follow professionals in your field and comment on their posts ✅ Send personalized connection requests ✅ Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your expertise ✅ Share your own knowledge (projects, industry insights, trends) 💡 Tip: Instead of writing, "Hi, can you help me find a job?", try: "Hi [Name], I see you're in [industry]. I’m new to Germany and would love to exchange insights. Let’s connect!" 🔹 3. Get Involved in Sports & Hobby Circles 🏀🎨🎸 Networking isn’t just professional—it’s also social! Some of the best connections happen in hobby groups and sports clubs. ✅ Join a local gym, running club, football team, yoga group ✅ Sign up for art classes, book clubs, language meetups ✅ Play in a band or music group ✅ Volunteer for local events & organizations 💡 Why? Germans value trust and long-term relationships. If people know you personally, they’re more likely to help you professionally. 🇩🇪 Bonus: You can also practice your German while meeting people. Even basic German can help you integrate, build trust, and access more job opportunities. 🔹 4. Use the “Coffee Chat” Strategy ☕ Many people land jobs through casual conversations. ✅ Reach out to professionals in your industry ✅ Invite them for a 15-20 minute virtual coffee chat ✅ Ask about their career path, industry trends, and advice ✅ Focus on learning & relationship-building, not just job searching 💡 Tip: People remember genuine conversations. If they hear of a job opening, they might think of you first! 🔹 5. Explore Online Communities & Hidden Job Markets Many job leads come from WhatsApp, Slack, or Facebook groups. 🔹 Slack communities: Berlin Tech Workers, Startup Jobs Germany 🔹 Facebook groups: “English Jobs in Germany” / “Expats in [city]” 🔹 Internations.org: Great for meeting professionals in Germany 💡 Tip: Actively engage in discussions. The more visible you are, the more opportunities will come your way! 🌍 Final Thought: Networking is not just about job hunting—it’s about integrating, building trust, and forming connections. When you participate in events, hobbies, and professional communities, you naturally expand your opportunities. #Networking #JobSearch #Germany #CareerTips #ExpatLife #LinkedInNetworking #Integration

How to Find the Right Networking Events and Network Efficiently When I first came to the U.S. for my master’s, I kept hearing the same advice: "Networking is key." So, like many students, I started attending random events, meeting a few people, and—let’s be honest—enjoying the free food. But after a while, I realized that while I was showing up, I wasn’t really making progress. I was meeting people, but those connections weren’t leading anywhere. That’s when I changed my approach. Here’s what worked for me: ✅ Targeted Networking: Instead of attending just any event, I focused on those specific to the biotech and medical device industry. ✅ Pre-Event Research: Before going, I would look up the speakers, their companies, and what they were working on. This helped me move beyond small talk and have meaningful conversations. ✅ Follow-Ups That Matter: The real challenge isn’t meeting someone once—it’s staying in touch. After events, I would send a thank-you message mentioning something specific from our conversation. That made my outreach more personal and memorable. This shift in strategy helped me build long-term connections—people who eventually played a key role in my career. Now, when students ask me how to find the right networking opportunities, I recommend starting with events hosted by accelerators and innovation hubs. These are some of the best: 1. MassBio 2. Nucleate 3. Innovate@BU 4. MIT Biotech Group 5. MDG Boston 4. Venture Café Cambridge You can’t miss this event that is right around the corner! In June, the 'Festival of Genomics' is happening, and it’s a great opportunity to meet professionals and industry leaders. If you're serious about networking, make sure to check it out! If you found this helpful, follow me for more insights and share this with anyone who might benefit! #networkingevents #biotech #medicaldevices

I just heard a valued connection of mine got a job through an in-person networking event. In the world we live in now where automation is king, in-person, face-to-face, real, emotional human connections are the key to overcoming your job search hurdles. I've been advising everyone from SOC Analyst to CISO to get out there, get involved with their local security community, and start meeting more people face-to-face. It's far too easy to get lost in a sea of competition all applying for a single job posting. Some ideas to get out there and meet more security people: ✔️ Local chapters of ISACA, ISC2, ISSA, Infragard ✔️ Meetup groups - go to Meetup.com and type in cybersecurity or infosec ✔️ Conferences - BSides, RSA, whatever conference you have locally. ✔️ Industry associations, networking groups like BNI, or Chamber of Commerce meetings ✔️ Networking events hosted by local groups, often advertised on LinkedIn - here in Tampa Bay we have Tampa Bay Techies, Tampa Bay Tech, etc. ✔️ Networking events put on by local Private Equity or Venture Capital Groups - in a down market, follow the money!

Don’t wait to network until you need a job—but if you do, you can jumpstart your efforts. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦: 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘩, 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴. 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦, 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺—𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸: -Reach out to your inner circle: Start with people you already know—friends, family, former coworkers, or classmates. Let them know you’re exploring opportunities and be specific about the roles or industries you’re targeting. -Leverage LinkedIn: Update your profile and start engaging. Share a thoughtful post about your career journey or comment on others’ posts to get on their radar. You can also send messages to past colleagues or people in your desired field. -Attend events: Look for local networking events, industry meetups, or webinars. Don’t go in with the sole intention of job hunting; focus on learning and making genuine connections. - This week, check out: -Networking with Purpose, 4:30pm today in St Louis Park -People in Transition, Thursday 8am in Bloomington -Purpose Driven Coffee, Friday 7am in Plymouth -Ask for informational interviews: Reach out to professionals in roles or industries that interest you and ask for 15-20 minutes of their time to learn more about their career path. -Give before you take: Networking isn’t just about what others can do for you. Share an article, offer encouragement, or ask how you can support them. If you’re looking to deepen your networking mindset, I highly recommend books like 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 by Keith Ferrazzi and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰-𝘎𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 by Bob Burg. They offer practical strategies and inspiring perspectives to help you approach networking with intention and generosity. While it’s better to nurture your network consistently, it’s never too late to start. Every conversation, comment, or connection is a step closer to your next opportunity. What has helped you build a strong network? #networking #jobsearch #helpingothersshine