Tonight I attended the first monthly PHP user group in the Hampton Roads area at Kelly’s in downtown Norfolk. There was plenty of conversation over dinner and Jeremy Fisher gave a short, sweet, and discussion-provoking introduction to namespaces and other features of the upcoming PHP 5.3. Everyone agreed that we’ll do the same thing next month. I’ll collect some schedules from interested parties, determine which evening will work best for the majority, and send something official out soon.
Attending a user group is a great investment in your own circumstances, whether that means your employment or your team. Although it’s just one facet of what makes a group like this great, I have seen some great hires come from connections that were cultivated at a user group. Also, finding employment through people you know and have worked with seems to be the rule rather than the exception. By putting yourself out there and sharing a meal with fellow programmers working in the same technical space as you, you have the opportunity to vet ideas, exchange war stories, and, most of all, build relationships. And this isn’t just about self interest. Sometimes you’ll invest in people. Sometimes they’ll invest in you. Sometimes those relationships will be mutually beneficial.
Thanks to all who attended our first meeting. I’ll be looking forward to this again next month.
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