[random_user]

Yup. Twenty-five years ago I could walk out of a job and into another within hours. Things change.

I've done the meetup thing. I'll say that most tech meetups have been a total waste of time. "I have an idea for <x>. Could you be my tech co-founder and build it for nothing?". Please.

The other aspect of meetups is that a lot of them are loud drinking parties. I don't drink. No, not some prudish thing. I just don't drink. The stuff doesn't attract me at all. And, of course, if I my intent is to meet people I kinda want to be able to hear them. So driving to a meetup an hour away, at a bar, with loud music and booze isn't my idea of something productive. Could be wrong.

[brent_noorda]

Tru dat (I'm feeling more youthful already, saying something like 'tru dat'), most of these networking things will not workout, but most of anything doesn't work out, maybe you have to do 100 for that 1% chance of a chance. Yes, the kinds of alcohol-based meetings your talking about aren't the best. I'd recommend instead the educational meetings, like user groups where people are giving talks showing off their latest use of X technology. E.G an arduino group, a python group, a goggles group, whatever tech floats your boat. The people in those kinds of meetups, in my experience, are more than not serious about the tech and not just looking for a drink.

Another thing I didn't mention is the personal email to someone at some company, being honest about some real connection why you and them should be together, not in response to a job listing but just in response to why you'd think they're a good fit, or praising them honestly on something they do. I at least tend to get responses, if nothing else, from these outside-the-box attempts.