Thanks for raising this important question - it's a situation many freelancers and small businesses are grappling with.
Platforms like LinkedIn and GitHub are often the easiest and fastest way to engage with professionals. These communities already exist for a shared purpose: to discuss work, promote skills, and explore new opportunities. The infrastructure is there - and it works. But of course, everyone knows that. And when many people try to tap into the same value, the cost of access increases.
Take LinkedIn, for example. It’s particularly restrictive with its professional tiers. Pricing ranges from under €100/month for a basic sales account to several thousand euros for full recruiter access. The core functionality often remains the same - what changes is the number of contacts or messages you can send. For small businesses and freelancers, this makes visibility a serious challenge. Building a brand on LinkedIn or GitHub can be difficult when you can't consistently afford the tools to scale.
The alternative - building your own community - is slow and time-consuming. Many are trying to do exactly that, but most eventually conclude that paying for reach (through ads or premium subscriptions) is the faster way. Yet fast doesn't always mean better.
Here’s where I want to share a broader perspective, based on my experience building several companies from scratch.
The first and most important step is to define your niche - your audience, your offer, your message. Find the customer or problem you deeply understand and specialize in it. When you truly know your space - whether it’s a tech stack, a domain, or a specific type of candidate - it becomes much easier to find the right platforms, events, and communities.
You’ll discover specialized forums, Slack or Discord groups, newsletters, job boards, and conferences that cater exactly to your target. Deep tech meetups, niche summits like DevOps Days, or booths at industry expos often bring together the very people you want to reach - whether as clients or candidates.
Once you’re present in those spaces, your positioning matters. With the right message and personal branding, you can draw the right people in. Let’s say you brand yourself as “The DevOps Recruiter.” Suddenly, your value is clear. DevOps professionals and companies will start to see you as someone who truly understands their world - and who can be trusted to find the right fit.
The next step is building trust through content. Share insights, answer real questions, or offer guides and tips relevant to your niche. At UPFLINX, we run free webinars to support the people we want to work with. These aren’t products - they’re bridges to conversation, trust, and long-term relationships. Especially with limited budgets, this kind of approach pays off far more than another ad campaign.
If you’re willing to share more about the niche you’re exploring, I’d be happy to offer more tailored suggestions.
And on your second point - the shift toward senior-level hiring - yes, this trend is already taking shape. In uncertain times, many companies prioritize experienced talent that can deliver immediate value. But here’s the paradox: there’s no senior pipeline without juniors. The long-term health of any industry depends on mentoring, training, and inclusion of junior roles.
Senior professionals also tend to be more strategic. They invest in their networks and often - knowingly or not - build personal brands. The best among them aren’t just passively waiting for the next job; they’re choosing the partners and recruiters they want to work with. That’s why it’s essential to build and maintain your network, even when people aren’t actively job-hunting. Offer value, stay in touch, and remain visible. Over time, that trust becomes your greatest advantage. And when someone in their network is looking to move, they’ll think of you.
Wishing you all the best on your journey - and keep asking these kinds of questions. They open the right doors.
