How can I effectively network and talk to recruiters?

LinkedIn, LinkedIn, and LinkedIn.

It  is 2019. Every time I get an CV without a LinkedIn profile referenced  then I assume that the applicant must be a time traveler from the past.

Step 1. Create LinkedIn profile.

Step  2. Stack your profile all the buzzwords of the day. Eg - which tech  stacks you work with, which cloud providers, achievements, processes  (SDLC, Agile, CI/CD/etc).

Step 3. Reference public github / code repos / apps you have built, etc.

Step 4. Add screenshots of websites, apps, etc from Step 3.

Personally,  I don't care about university degrees, grades, certifications, or other  fluff. Proof is in the code (contribute to open-source much?),  side-hustles, and side-projects that show inner-directed learning.

LinkedIn does a good job of nudging you along and helping you succeed here.

Once you have that in place and with a public profile, then the recruiters will find you.