How can you build a professional network in application development without being pushy?

1 Identify your goals

Before you start reaching out to people, you should have a clear idea of what you want to achieve from your networking efforts. Do you want to find a mentor, a collaborator, a client, or a friend? Do you want to learn a specific technology, a best practice, or a new trend? Do you want to showcase your portfolio, get feedback, or ask for referrals? Having a specific and realistic goal will help you tailor your messages, choose the right platforms, and measure your progress.

2 Find relevant communities

The next step in app development is to find and join communities where app developers hang out, share, and learn. These can be online or offline, formal or informal, local or global. For example, Stack Overflow, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter, Quora, online courses, webinars, podcasts, blogs, events, meetups, hackathons, conferences and offline organizations. When joining a community, make sure to read the rules and introduce yourself. Don't just lurk or spam; contribute value by asking questions and offering help.

3 Connect with individuals

Once you become part of a community, connecting with people who share your interests, goals, or challenges is a great way to build relationships. You can comment on their posts, articles, or projects, send them personalized messages or emails, ask for advice, feedback, or collaboration, and even invite them to a virtual or in-person coffee chat. Additionally, it's important to follow up regularly and keep in touch. When you reach out to someone, be respectful, genuine, and concise. Avoid being too aggressive, salesy, or needy; instead show interest in their work and appreciate their time while offering value in return.

4 Build trust and rapport

Developing a strong professional network requires trust and rapport with your contacts. To do this, you must be consistent, reliable, and responsive, as well as supportive, helpful, and generous. Additionally, you need to be respectful, polite, and professional. Honesty, authenticity, and transparency are also key in building trust. Lastly, you should be curious, open-minded, and willing to learn. Keep in mind that trust and rapport are not built overnight but through repeated interactions over time. Don't expect immediate results or favors from your contacts; instead nurture the relationship and show that you care.

5 Expand your network

The final step is to expand your network by leveraging your existing contacts and finding new ones. You can ask for introductions, referrals, or recommendations from your contacts, attend events and meetups to meet new people, join communities or platforms to find new opportunities, create and share content to showcase your skills and value, and volunteer, mentor, or teach others who want to learn app development. Expanding your network will help you reach more people, gain more exposure, and create more impact; however, it is important not to forget to maintain and nurture your existing relationships as they are your most valuable asset.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?