[ethernot]

1. Networking and keeping contacts. Not LinkedIn which I have found to be completely useless and full of lunatics and weirdos. Good old fashioned email and exchanging details when you work with other people. Check in with people occasionally to remind them you still exist. I have to turn work away.

2. Mostly bullshitting people then winging it.

[esperent]

On the contrary, I get a decent chunk of my work through LinkedIn. I only get a few messages a month, most from recruiters, but occasionally there's decent work in there too. Maybe two or three opportunities a year, which, if I took all of them, would be all I needed.

I don't actually use LinkedIn except to update my profile every year or so, and to make follow people in my industry.

[bilsbie]

What’s the best way to check in? I feel kind of inauthentic when I do it.

[lizzas]

I guess just be upfront?

"Hey James, I see you are working at Microsoft in Azure Compute and I am interested in breaking into that too. Would it be possible to go for coffee or catch up on Zoom?"

You may have to remind them how they know you if it has been a while :).

Keep it short. Unless you know they like a long email!