Networking Events Revealed

By: Chandler Smith

Office Hours? Meet and Greet? Info Session? Industry Days? Career Fair?

Every good Kelley upperclassman, and the ambitious underclassman, has a planner full of these elusive networking events. Recruiting season is in full swing and from the number of on-campus networking events, it seems like some recruiters live in Bloomington. We know it’s important to attend all these events but when thinking about them two questions come to mind: What is it and what do I wear?

Let’s break it down.

Office Hours
What is it? Office Hours for a company are a lot like office hours with your professors. Come and enjoy open networking in a more quiet and relaxed environment than at a Presentation or Career fair. It’s best if you come with information about the company and their positions so you can discuss job specifics, ask questions, and have a good conversation rather than listen to a mini presentation.

What do I wear? Office Hours are casual so you can wear nice casual clothes. Don’t come in the outfit you slept in the night before but jeans and a nicer top are perfect.

Meet and Greet
What is it? Meet and Greets are casual like Office Hours but are a little more informational. As the name suggests, they provide an opportunity for you to get to know a little about the company and the kind of people who work there. You can come prepared with questions specific to a title or to generally inquire about the company.

What do I wear? The rules for Office Hours apply here.

Info Session
What is it? Info Sessions are presentations about the company and their offered positions followed by open networking. They generally last around an hour and you should expect to stay for the whole event. Some are more formal than others and they may include food. Be sure to bring something to take notes with so you can use what you learned in conversation with recruiters and interviews.

What do I wear? Conservative Business Casual, think suit without the jacket.

Note: For more conservative companies you should wear a suit. When in doubt, wear it and you can always take off the jacket.

Industry Days
What is it? Industry Days are a great way to learn about multiple companies in one event. Each company will give a short presentation followed by open networking at the end. Like Info Sessions, be prepared to stay for the entire event.

What do I wear? Conservative Business Casual- Business Professional

Note: Many people stay for the presentations and leave right after. Take the time to talk to the recruiters without the long lines of Career Fairs and Presentations.

Career Fair
What is it? I like to think of Career Fairs like Disney World (minus the rides). Each company has an information booth with a few recruiters. You wait in line to talk with recruiters from the companies you’re interested in like you would wait to get your picture with Mickey Mouse. Career Fairs are the prime opportunity for you to talk to representatives from more than one company in a single event. However, since there are so many students at Career Fairs it is vital you research companies in advance to have an educated and memorable conversation.

What do I wear? Business Professional, suit up my friends!

Now that you know what to expect, get out there and network like a champion!