Networking Evening Business, Arts & Humanities by PUEmployability

NETWORKING EVENING BUSINESS, ARTS & HUMANITIES Supported by

CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY WITH PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY

Thursday 11th February 5.30pm – 8.00pm, Rolle Marquee www.plymouth.ac.uk/employability

A WARM WELCOME TO THE NETWORKING EVENING FOR THE FACULTIES OF BUSINESS AND ARTS & HUMANITIES Make contact with local and national employers who are interested in meeting Plymouth undergraduate and post graduate students from your faculty, practice and improve your networking skills in a safe environment and enhance your employability. The Careers & Employability Service is delighted to welcome you to an unique networking event. The Networking Evening is a great opportunity for you to: • Develop and enhance your network skills, a vital skill you will need for employment and business, with industry professionals. • Meet professionals, gain an insight into their roles, companies and learn from their experience. • Find out information about specific industries and employers. • Build relationships face to face with professionals and potential graduate employers.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? Develop Your Skills Practise your networking technique with professionals, asking smart questions and selling yourself

Gain Insight Find out from professionals about their jobs, roles, and their experience of the industry

Increase Your Confidence Chat with professionals from relevant sectors in a unique and supportive environment

Network with Local and National Employers Expand your network and explore opportunities in different sectors

NETWORKING EVENING: WHAT TO EXPECT Thank you for your booking to attend the Networking Evening with the Careers & Employability Service, we very much look forward to welcoming you to the event.

Venue The Networking Event is taking place on the main University campus in the Rolle Marquee, Francis Drake Halls square.

Arrival The event registration will be 17:30 – 17:45, the event will start at 17:45, so please arrive a few minutes early to register, and have a welcome drink.

Catering You will be provided with refreshments on arrival, and a lovely buffet dinner.

The Programme The event will open with a welcome speech to inspire and motivate everyone for the networking sessions. The formal networking opportunity will be in small groups comprising professionals, students and the Careers & Employability team using structured discussions around key topics and questions. The Careers & Employability team will be there to support you. So you can meet lots of professionals, after each discussion the professionals will circulate to a new table for the next discussion. There will then be informal networking opportunities for you to continue talking to employers you wish to follow up with, or meet those you haven’t yet met. Time

Activity

17:30 – 17:45

Registration and welcome drinks

17:45 – 18:00

Introduction and welcome

18:00 – 18:15

Formal networking session 1

18:15 – 18:30

Formal networking session 2

18:30 – 18:45

Formal networking session 3

18:45 – 19:00

Formal networking session 4

19:00 – 20:00

Buffet supper and informal networking

20:00

Thank you and close

TOP TIPS FOR NETWORKING Preparation • Research the organisations and professionals attending by visiting company websites and see if they have a Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin page you can follow. Think about questions that you could ask and write them down. • Read up on industry news and trends beforehand so you’ll be prepared to spark conversation. • Prepare a 30 second elevator pitch – a short pitch about who you are, what you’re studying and what you’re interested in doing after graduating.

Personal presentation • Dress appropriately, comfortably and professionally to establish yourself as a successful person; you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

Who to speak to? • Walking into a room full of strangers can be intimidating, so don’t be put off, they have come to talk to you and want you to approach them. • Talk to people who are standing alone. People attend networking events to meet others. If someone is standing alone, that is the perfect opportunity to make a new contact. • Sit with people you don’t know. During the walk-around networking, do talk to people you have met before to enhance your relationship, but sit with people you don’t know in order to widen your network. • It’s ok to join a group that has already formed – listen to what they are talking about and either join in the conversation when it is appropriate to do so, or wait for the group of students move on and introduce yourself to the employer – they will know that you’re ‘next in the queue’. 4

• If you are nervous or unsure you can pair up with another student, but once you have found your feet and had a few positive conversations, see if you can go it alone!

Starting a conversation • Take an interest in the people you speak to, ask them questions about their role and their organisation. It’s great way to start a conversation. • Prepare what you want to say to others about yourself – short and precise, use your 30 second elevator pitch. • Make sure that you clearly introduce yourself so that the person you are talking to knows your name. • If you’re nervous, just remember that others may be as nervous as you. Remember why you’ve gone there – to network, so be open to having a conversation.

Active listening • Ask questions and listen. You don’t have to talk a lot about what you do. Why not ask people you meet questions about them and their business, and then listen carefully to their answers. Find points of commonality that you can bring into the conversation.

Moving on • Don’t spend all of your time talking to one person. • Gather the information you need, obtain business cards, if appropriate, and move on. There will be cards and pens available so you can jot down your details to give to employers. • Networking isn’t like speed-dating. The goal isn’t to meet as many people as you can – it’s to make valuable connections. You can say things like:

1. Please let me know how that project goes, I’d love to see it and hear how it turns out. 2. Have you seen anyone from [company name] tonight? “I’ve been meaning to chat with them.” This will kindly express that it’s important to you to expand your network.

Follow up • If you meet a useful contact at the networking event, it can be useful to follow up this contact. Think about adding them to your network on LinkedIn. • If you get given a business card to follow up on a conversation perhaps to send the professional your CV, make a note on the card what you have agreed to do or send after the discussion, it is easy to forget and miss out on that opportunity!

If you get stuck • The Careers & Employability Service team will be around for the evening, please come and talk to us if you are not sure about anything, or you can not find an employer that you would really like to engage with. We will all be wearing name badges and purple lanyards.

Check our events calendar for workshops which will boost your confidence in preparation for the networking evening at bit.ly/evcal15. Here are a couple of networking workshops aimed to help you prepare for the event: Tues 2 Feb 17:00 – 18:00

Networking Practical Tips

Careers & Employability Hub, Ground floor, RLB

Wed 10 Feb 13.00 – 14:00

Networking Practical Tips

Careers & Employability Hub, Ground floor, RLB 5

NOTES

Contact Name Organisation Contact details Notes

NOTES

Contact Name Organisation Contact details Notes

CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY WITH PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY DID YOU KNOW? Our weekly timetable is made up of: • Daily drop-ins open to all in the Careers and Employability Hub • Employer presentations • Skills and confidence boosting workshops • 1-to-1 careers advice and guidance appointments • Competitions • Practice interviews • Networking events Find out more about what’s on this week via our website: www.plymouth.ac.uk/employability and our events calendar bit.ly/evcal15

CONTACT US The careers and Employability Hub, Ground Floor, Roland Levinsky Building employability@plymouth.ac.uk 0 01752 587456 f /PlymUniEmp t @Plymuniemp /

The University is committed to the promotion of equality and diversity. If you require this publication in an alternative format, please contact us on +44 (0) 1752 58 58 58.