Does it really help to be the guy at the meetup who everyone knows because he can't get a job? Not sure anyone's ever told me that an employer reached out to them after they did a 5-minute talk at a meetup or became a regular on Discord.
I already had a job but I literally got an offer without an interview after giving a talk at a meetup. And I just think generally if you keep attending one and get to know some people they'll eventually have referrals for you, a lot of people need talent.
