Check websites like YC, X and Linkedin connect with founders there. Talk about your work, projects and ask them if they have any dev roles or know anyone in their network hiring. Cold outreach is the way to go. But be human do not use AI here to automate or write DM's. Also attend events in your city and also connect with founders on Instagram. A lot of them are active, post about open roles.
The Built In Pages have lots of startups on them.https://www.builtinnyc.com/ They cover a number of specific cities like Austin, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and other places. They also have news and company pages.
Build something in public, contribute to open source, and be active where founders hang out. Warm relationships usually work much better than cold outreach.
I have also tried approaching founders with specific suggestions about how I could improve or help build their website or product
In general, asking "is there anything I might help with?" is a better approach than telling people what problems I think I can solve.
Because my solutions are unlikely to fit their important problems.
And because telling people what problems they have suggests they don't understand what they are doing.
And because assuming problems that don't exist is a tell for an employee who looks for problems they can solve rather than works on problems that need solving.
Or even worse, invents problems that they can solve instead of doing what is important.
Check websites like YC, X and Linkedin connect with founders there. Talk about your work, projects and ask them if they have any dev roles or know anyone in their network hiring. Cold outreach is the way to go. But be human do not use AI here to automate or write DM's. Also attend events in your city and also connect with founders on Instagram. A lot of them are active, post about open roles.
The Built In Pages have lots of startups on them.https://www.builtinnyc.com/ They cover a number of specific cities like Austin, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and other places. They also have news and company pages.
Build something in public, contribute to open source, and be active where founders hang out. Warm relationships usually work much better than cold outreach.
Participating conferences and events is great way to meet people and find opportunities.
Meetups Conferences
I have also tried approaching founders with specific suggestions about how I could improve or help build their website or product
In general, asking "is there anything I might help with?" is a better approach than telling people what problems I think I can solve.
Because my solutions are unlikely to fit their important problems.
And because telling people what problems they have suggests they don't understand what they are doing.
And because assuming problems that don't exist is a tell for an employee who looks for problems they can solve rather than works on problems that need solving.
Or even worse, invents problems that they can solve instead of doing what is important.
Good luck.
Wellfound.com, workatastartup.com