Networking events are an opportunity to connect with peers, company representatives, professionals, potential employers and recruiters and to make new contacts. Every event you attend may be different. Some are more informal and give people time to talk to one another. Others are more structured and include a presentation or talk. The aim of these events is to help people within an industry expand their network.

Here, we show you several types of networking events that can help you maintain your contacts and advance your career. You will also find links to selected events.

• Career fairs
• Company events
• Conferences/trade fairs
• Industry-specific seminars
• Happy-hour meetups
• Virtual groups or breakfast/lunch meetings
• Speed networking
• Workshops
• Round-table discussions
• Rotation dinners

Preparing for an event is essential. Only then can you get the most out of your participation.

• Consider in advance which companies you would like to visit at a career fair, for example.
• Research the companies that interest you before the event. Questions such as “What exactly does your company do?” do not leave a good impression on company representatives.
• Prepare your CV so that you can hand it over after a good conversation.
• Prepare an elevator pitch.
• Also prepare a few good questions. Do not ask about information that is already available on the company’s website. Examples: “Which skills and experience are you looking for in young professionals?” “What are the biggest challenges in this business area?” “What does your recruitment process look like?”
• After the conversation, note the names and roles of the people you spoke with. This may be very useful later.
• After the event, send a connection request on LinkedIn to the people you spoke with. Always include a short message referring to the event so that they can remember you.

Find out more about workshops, seminars and other career-related events organised by ZHAW SML and companies.

Alumni Services connects current and former SML students and serves as the central point of contact for networking topics.