Reframe your relationship with networking and get expert-backed tips on how to do it right in the greater Portland area.

Expert Tips for Networking In Portland, Oregon *

* (even if you don’t like networking)

By A Portland Career, and edited by Dan Hahn, M.S., and Suzie Sherman

Not sure how to build your network?  We can get you started.

Let's talk
a group of four people talking around a table
Photo by Brook Cagle via Unsplash

Networking doesn’t have to be, nor should be, inauthentic. Your network should be filled with people who share your values, care about the same things, and inspire your desire to collaborate in meaningful ways. When done right, networking is fun and inspiring, not a source of dread.

At least once a week while working with clients, our team of career coaches emphasizes the importance of business networking to those in career transition. For some, the sheer mention of the word “networking” triggers a response ranging from a barely perceptible wince to an outright scoff. We share your antipathy for the word “networking,” but we want to help you think of it as a way to expand your circle to include people with whom you would like to spend more time.

At the end of the day, networking isn’t just a way for job seekers to get referrals or find new jobs— it’s a way to meet new friends, mentors, creative partners, business or startup partners, and in general people who enrich our lives both personally and professionally. 

Home  →  Helpful Articles  →  Networking →  Expert Tips for Networking In Portland, Oregon (even if you don’t like networking)

Here are some articles to get you started on your networking strategy:

If you’re feeling stuck, or need to get over your networking dread, schedule a consult with us!

Let's get you networking!

On This Page

a typical networking scene sharing contact info on a cell phone
Photo by Luis Villasmil via Unsplash

Why the word “networking” puts people off

Maybe it seems, or would appear, self-serving to seek out people who can further our agendas. Maybe the word “networking” seems mechanical, as if we’re computers that need to be plugged into one another to communicate. Maybe it seems removed from the essence of the activity it attempts to describe: a way to reach out to others with whom we can converse easily, share resources, and build meaningful friendships over coffee, or over Zoom.

Perhaps networking also seems distasteful because we think of friendships and valued relationships as things that happen spontaneously. But, even when we meet colleagues at networking events, we can still come to think of them as people who we were meant to know. They fulfill a place in our lives because they belong there. We don’t like to think of friends as people we sought out to unscrupulously advance our careers or grow our LinkedIn to All-Star status, but sometimes, indeed, this process can evolve as organically as friendships do in more purely social contexts.

two people smiling and riding on ebikes
Photo by KBO Bike via Unsplash

Why it’s not as bad as you think

In reality, the people trying to infiltrate the business community maliciously, or in a totally self-serving way, make up a small percentage of networkers. While the word “networking” evokes images of business people and social entrepreneurs, literally anyone, from any field, whether they have a job and a defined career path or not, can benefit from networking:

  • It can open the door to informational interviews with new contacts about a job or a field you’re interested in.
  • You can meet new friends and people who share your hobbies and interests.
  • You might discover small business owners you want to support in your community.
  • It can get your foot in the door for Portland jobs.
  • It will help you find and connect with business professionals in your field.
Photo by Wade Austin Ellis via Unsplash

Tips for networking in the Portland area and beyond

If you live in the greater Portland area (Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Vancouver) you have lots of options for connecting with people who share your values, from networking groups, to volunteer opportunities, to “power breakfasts” (which really just means sharing a meal and talking shop.)

Below are several Portland-area and online networking events, organizations, and meetups that will help you actually look forward to networking:

  • B Local PDX, the Portland chapter of B Local, is perfect for people who care about social and environmental consciousness in the workplace. Check out B Local PDX, if you want to learn more about the culture of B Corps, businesses that get certified to hold themselves to a higher standard of social and environmental responsibility. B Local PDX has a calendar of monthly events you can attend as a community member, as well as a paid membership structure.
  • Join a meetup group, or start your own. It can be focused on something you love, whether it’s knitting hats, discussing UX design, or mountain biking on Sunday mornings. Yes, all this can be considered networking: get to know people in your community, and swap stories about what you’re into!
  • Consider extended classes at a community college or extended study programs offered by universities, like the Business of Craft Brewing Certificate at PSU.
  • Seek out professional development groups that are mission-driven or focused on a certain industry, like PDX Women In Tech, a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-led organization for women in tech fields in Portland.
  •  Offer to serve on a board for a nonprofit, school, or government entity, such as the Oregon Arts Commission. Or get involved in the local business community through the Portland Business Alliance, the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, the City Club of Portland, the Oregon Entrepreneurs NEtwork (OEN), and, of course, the good old Oregon Chamber of Commerce.
  • The Great Decisions groups offer a network for participating in deeper conversations about global affairs. This is a great resource for people who are motivated to take on larger structural change and global policy decisions.
  • Check out events that are geared around your interests, like art classes, recreation classes at REI, online lectures, or a WordPress workshop.
a woman with a head covering and headphones saying hi to someone on her tablet
Photo by Windows via Unsplash

Social media as a networking tool

Of course, let’s not forget about using social media to network! We’ve written at length about the virtues of LinkedIn for networking, whether or not you consider yourself to be an introvert (but especially if you do). If you need help getting started on the platform, we wrote a whole post about it you can read here.

But while LinkedIn is certainly king in this realm, don’t forget that there are plenty of other social media sites you can use to network, like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Reddit. They can help you connect at a distance with people in your field from around the world, or you can use them to find local Portland networking events and meetup groups.

Final thoughts on networking in Portland, Oregon

Because we tend to want to help people we like, the natural consequence of expanding our sphere is that more people will be looking out for us—and it feels good to want to look out for others. Reframing your relationship to the word “networking” is crucially important to putting yourself out there and connecting with other people with similar values and creative goals, and with mentors who can help you get where you want to go professionally. Portland, Oregon, is a unique place where networking can truly connect you to like-minded souls!

If you’re a job seeker looking to network to develop professionally and find new employment opportunities, we recommend crafting a professional elevator pitch to take with you to the events we mentioned above.

If you want help developing your networking plan, or help getting over your resistance to networking, set up a consultation with the APC career coaches, and we’ll get you started! 

Key takeaways

  • The whole point of networking is to cultivate meaningful relationships—not to be self-serving and only further our own agendas.
  • Networking isn’t just for business leaders or entrepreneurship-focused individuals: it’s for everyone looking to make connections both personal and professional.
  • LinkedIn is a great place to start networking, whether or not you consider yourself an introvert.
  • Networking can be your gateway to the business community, or it can be a way to meet new friends, mentors, or referrals to informational interviews.
  • The greater Portland area abounds with organizations, events, and groups that can help you get started meeting new people today!

Related articles you might be interested in:

Need help connecting with people in your field?

Schedule a consult