Stage 7 · Lesson 7 of 9

Meetups and communities

Communities are where meet people who can help. Think of local and developer groups, online communities for your target role, (short events where teams build something together), and events in your old industry where tech is discussed.

Go regularly rather than once. Ask good questions, share what you are building, and follow up with the people you met. A follow-up can turn a new contact into someone who knows your work, and later perhaps a .

Communities also keep you motivated during a long switch. Some share junior openings before they are posted publicly. Choose one or two and show up consistently.

Common trapjoining twenty online groups, lurking in all of them and never speaking to anyone.

A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 2 cheat sheet entries come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it

Resources for this stage

Start with

GuideFree
The Complete Freelance Web Developer Guide
freeCodeCamp · Beginner
Free guide to finding and handling first freelance clients, useful for a freelance-first route

Practise

Google Developer Groups
Free local and online developer communities in many countries, to meet people regularly
Sefism 1:1 Mentorship
Talk your routes and story through with a mentor before you start approaching people

Keep handy

Job Scams (FTC Consumer Advice)
Clear list of job scam signs; the tactics are the same worldwide
iRelaunch
Employers that run returnships, if your switch follows a career break

Also worth your time

OutreachyGo deeper
Paid remote open source internships open to people from groups underrepresented in tech