But still, let’s talk about good networking, as we find ways to communicate with companies and people around the Globe even from bomb shelters. To be honest, 2022 was not the best networking year, just like 2021 was. But the world is changing pretty fast, you know. There is nothing permanent and networking is exactly one of those things, that became really different from what we used it to see after the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Ways to Network

If earlier we were visiting international conferences and meetings, now we turn on Zoom and have celebrations online. There are only few ways to meet people offline left, but still there are some. You still can go abroad to party for example and meet people to work with in person, however pandemic changed not only the format of human interaction, but also the perception of new people around you. This made it harder for us to trust new people and that is why currently it’s harder to make new friends, not even talking about selling something accurately.

Today world switched to the personal brand development as the most powerful tool for the networking. Show your work, make everyone well aware of the fact you are designer. Make stories about your work process and suggest people what they can do or read. Share your feelings about projects and work days. If others will believe design is a soulful part of your life, they will want to work with you, since they will be convinced in your professionalism.

Another new way to network is to participate in online courses and education programs. There is always a room for self-improvement and you know it. So, you may easily join chats in Discord, Telegram or any courses online to meet new people, who will be same enthusiastic as you. Networking with average designers just like you can lead you to multiple opportunities. Moreover, you can network with teachers and this also can open new career opportunities for you, for example participation in researches and collaboration on projects.

Of course, Bali and South Africa is also a chance. Did you know this year the most popular destinations for networking among UI/UX designers are:

• Shri Lanka
• South Africa
• San Francisco

There you may meet not only colleagues with interesting work experience, but also potential clients, who can offer you good projects. In all these regions there are communities with startup owners, so you will be meeting a lot of interesting people and if not even finding new projects, at least you will be able to understand better what your clients want from you.

Networking may seem hard to people who got used to old-fashioned way of meeting people and making sales. However, world is changing and IT industry should change even faster, along with you. Will you join this wave of transformation?