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On November 7, 2014, the NYU Wasserman Career Center, NYU SHRM Chapter, and NYU Integrated Marketing Association jointly hosted the Third Annual School of Professional Studies Networking Night. Over 100 NYU School of Professional Studies graduate students and 23 employers attended the event. It was a great opportunity for students to network with industry professionals and gain insights into these industries.
The event began by giving students time to develop their pitches, and then allowed for two 30 minute roundtable discussions with industry professionals. Students practiced and received feedback on their pitches during these roundtables, and the event concluded with an open networking session. For a list of Employers that participated in the event, please click link…
As a first-time participant and volunteer, I enjoyed the event very much and learned a tremendous amount from the industry professionals. I am grateful that they took time out of their busy schedules to engage with students, answer questions, provide resume/interview tips, and offer opportunities to connect with them. It was inspiring to see some of these people were former M.S. HRMD program graduates, and hear them talk about how this degree enhanced their careers. I strongly recommend more students attend the event next year and prepare a great pitch.
The Quick Tips for Perfecting Your Pitch shared invaluable tips with the students:
The purpose of having a pitch during networking activities is to raise awareness of “your personal brand” in order to build authentic relationships with professionals and to share your abilities, skills and background.
Your professional pitch should…
- Communicate your personal brand
- Covey your unique selling point (USP)
- Answer the questions “Tell me about yourself?” “What do you do?” and “What are you interested in doing next?”
To create your pitch, focus on…
- Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to tell stories, rather than just telling facts
- Tailoring your pitch for the audience and setting
- Making it conversational; think of open-ended questions to ask the employer or contact
Keep in mind these “Golden Rules”…
- Be an authentic and genuine individual
- Become your own subject matter expert
- Personalize, prepare, and practice your pitch
NYU Wasserman Blog 