What Really Happens at MBA Networking Events?
Networking is a crucial part of your MBA journey. When you enroll at business school, you’ll not only equip yourself with the necessary skills to boost your career; you’ll gain access to your business school’s extensive, global network.
In these networks, you’ll find Fortune 500 CEOs, all-star entrepreneurs, former presidents, and more notable MBA alumni. By rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s leading minds in business, you could meet your future employer, gain access to a new industry, and build lifelong connections.
So, what really goes on behind the scenes at MBA networking events? And what can you do to boost your MBA network and stand out to employers?
What happens at MBA networking events?
During your MBA, your business school’s career service will organize multiple networking events to connect you and your fellow students to potential employers.
There are many types of MBA networking events—some are more informal meetings between students and recent alums—but connecting with employers is a primary focus and that’s our focus here.
In fact, business schools often organize careers fairs, where you can expect to talk with multiple recruiters from different companies and gain a new insight into the opportunities at hand.
HKU Business School invites around 30 companies to its careers fair. “Throughout the year, we also have a small panel discussion with five to six different industry experts,” says Sachin Tipnis, senior executive director at HKU Business School. “Our students moderate the panel, so that they can connect with these individuals.”
One such student is Serina Suzuki, who was able to co-host a strategy management discussion with industry experts.
“I’d like to change my career to a strategy management role, such as management consulting or in house strategy,” she says. “During the event, I was able to receive valuable advice from our guests whilst also gaining the skills to smoothly facilitate an event.”
In Europe, EU Business School holds annual careers fairs that take place in Barcelona, its most densely populated campus. During smaller events, on the Munich and Swiss campuses, students speed network with local companies and practice their icebreaking skills.
As part of their Crafting Your Future series, EU Business School also brings in experts to talk to students about their career track, their company, and their unique perspective on business.
“Before the pandemic, we also used to take our students out on company visits,” says Veronica Cancio De Grandy, head of Alumni Relations, Learning & Development at EU Business School. “We’ve taken our students to BMW in Munich, the UN in Geneva, and Inditex in Barcelona.”
At the employer events at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business in Canada, recruiters bring alumni from the school who now work in their organizations.
“The alum’s testimony usually resonates with students who are looking to find a job,” says Mai-Gee Hum, director of Career Management Services at John Molson School of Business.
How can you stand out to potential employers?
To stand out to prospective employers, remember these three key points:
1. Quality over quantity
Collecting 100 business cards is not networking. Successful networking is about creating deeper connections with these employers by sharing common values, says Sachin from HKU.
“Always do your research,” he says. “If you’re going to meet an organization, come prepared with certain pointers, so that you can have a meaningful conversation.”
2. First impressions matter
“You need to look presentable,” says Veronica from EU Business School. “It’s important to be polite without being pedantic. Manners will get you noticed. Overdoing it and bowing will get an eyeroll.”
Copenhagen Business School MBA alumnus Matthew Nichols, who now works as head of International Delivery at cBrain, talks about the subtle art of networking in a recent LinkedIn post.
“First impressions count,” he says. “This doesn't mean you need to wear fancy clothes or come with an index card of talking points. It does mean that being genuine, thoughtful, and polite can make a big impact.”
3. Be conscious of social cues
Veronica explains that there are often two kinds of businesspeople at networking events: the ones that don’t have the time, and the ones that will keep you all night.
“You need to circle the room, realize when somebody is impatient or in a hurry, and know how to excuse yourself so you can move onto another conversation,” she says.
To help smooth your conversations, Matthew recommends practicing and continually refining your elevator pitch.
“You should aim to become comfortable concisely telling a complete stranger a bit about who you are, your career experience leading up to the MBA, and what you aim to do after [graduating].”
What should you do post-event?
You’ve made a great first impression, now how can you make that connection last longer?
Veronica emphasizes the importance of following up after a networking event. Her advice to students seeking to network successfully is to take a moment or piece of information from your exchange and use it to personalize your message.
“When you do the follow-up, don’t randomly ask for a job,” she says. “If you’re going to ask for something, generally you should have mentioned it in your initial exchange.”
For Sachin, if you’ve made a genuine connection with an individual from the networking events, it’s important to be open-minded.
“Why would a senior executive recommend you based on one or two conversations?” he asks. “That comes when they believe you can add value to their organization. After all, their reputation is at stake.”
To succeed at MBA networking events, look to create genuine contacts with individuals who work for companies where you believe you can make a significant contribution.
Beforehand, spend time rehearsing your elevator pitch, researching the companies and reflecting over what you want to do after your MBA—a methodical approach to networking will give you the best chance of landing your dream post-MBA job.
Can you network like an MBA?
MBA programs focus on giving students these soft skills to build and grow their networks. Do you know what it takes to network like an MBA? Take this quiz to see if you have the skills of a pro networker and see how your skills compare to MBA applicants.