Networking at Consulting Event Days

Question

This might be a slightly broad question - I have a consulting event day coming up and there are several dedicated time slots for networking with consultants, what is best way to approach this?

Should I also try connect / network with some of the consultants prior to the event on LinkedIn?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Hi there,

Well done on being invited to the event. In terms of your questions:

1) I have a consulting event day coming up and there are several dedicated time slots for networking with consultants, what is best way to approach this?

Events are great opportunities to create a strong connection with current consultants for referrals. To do so, you should:

Prepare good questions (see below some examples)
Move from the questions to a conversation, trying to connect on a personal level with the consultant
Ask the consultants if you could reach out later for further questions
Send a thank-you note and, so far you made a good impression, chances are you could later transform the connection into a referral at the right moment

The key things I would recommend to prepare in advance are the following:

Read about the firm and the consulting industry. Try to understand recent developments – this will ensure you can ask relevant questions. You can find more on that there: ▶ 11 New Consulting Trends You Should Know
Learn as much as possible on the consultants who will participate in the event. In this way, you will be able to connect more easily
Be prepared on company-related fit questions. You won’t be formally interviewed during these events, but you want to leave a positive impression in an informal conversation with consultants. At the bare minimum, you should:
- Have a clear idea of why you want to become a consultant
- Why you want to join that company
- What you can bring to that company and
- Have a clear, 5-lines pitch of who you are as introduction
Prepare your own questions to ask. Relevant questions are a great way to show your interest and get additional points

You can find more networking and events here:

▶ How to Network to Get an MBB Referral

2) Should I also try connect / network with some of the consultants prior to the event on LinkedIn?

Agree with Cristian, no need to do this in advance. Just study their profile in order to ask better questions.

Hope this helps,

Francesco

Answer 2

Hi there,

These sort of events are great opportunities to learn more about the respective firms and the consultant life.

To make the most out of it, I recommend the following:

Research the firm and any potential roles that you're interested in before the event. This way your questions can be more targeted
Don't over-prepare in terms of coming up with ‘smart’ questions at home. Instead, listen actively when discussing with the consultants, and the questions will naturally pop in your head
Be curious. Don't see them as gatekeeper, but as more senior fellow colleagues who are doing already for a few years what you are planning on just starting doing.
Remember that at the end of the day the consultants who show up at these events also want to unwind and have a good time. So don't ask questions that are unnecessarily difficult or bringing the mood down, e.g., what was the hardest moment of your career / what was your biggest disappointment.

And as a last point, there's no need to network with the consultants on Linkedin before the event. It makes more sense to do it afterwards once you actually met them in person.

Best,

Cristian

Answer 3

I agree with the previous answers so no need to repeat here.

I just want to additionally point out that such networking day is obviously a recruiting tool used by consulting firms. So while the atmosphere is meant to be “relaxed and informal”, don't forget that you are still being tested.

This ranges from your ability to carry conversations, the kinds of questions you ask, how you interact with different seniority levels and other candidates at the event to how you eat your meal. The HR recruiting team will usually collect feedback (e.g. consultants' impressions) on each candidate after the event.

The consultants at the event also know that each candidate will try to shine and wants to get a referral from them of course. The best way to get there, in my experience, is to be as authentic and genuine as possible while remaining professional. Give them the chance to get to know you as a person and try to refrain from dropping “pitches” that might come across as rehearsed.

On the flipside, you should also use this as your chance to “test” the firm. Do you like what you see in terms of company culture and chemistry? Can you envision working with the people you meet?

Best of luck and enjoy the experience

Answer 4

No, definitely not. They are already offering you networking slots. Why would you try to network before the networking session? It's like showing up to a friend's house 3 hours before the party starts.

What you may want to do is network with other people and make sure you are prepared for that session.

And the advice I can give you is to use it as a genuine opportunity to learn about the company, your counterpart's experience on the job, and understand how to prepare for the recruiting process. I.e., show genuine interest and develop a bit of a connection. Of course, be ready to deliver a bit of your “selling pitch”, but don't be aggressive about it. It is more important to have an intelligent conversation than having a mechanic pitch.

Good luck with the session.

Answer 5

Hi there,

#1 don't put too much pressure on yourself. The more natural and “relaxed” you are (while staying professional), the better. Remember, these are people. They'll like you more if they see you as not just capable but also personable.

I would not message them on LinkedIn before.

Good luck!