Martin and Shifa recently attended an insightful networking event, hosted by Jaggaer and Bearingpoint, surrounding the procurement landscape. Martin had the pleasure of speaking all about the deep dive into the evolving landscape of procurement, the challenges of hiring talent and how to tackle this in 2024.
It really got the Talent Drive team thinking about the importance of in person networking events. Of course all in person events were put to a halt during the Covid period and it took a while for them to come back. Lets look at some of the reasons why in person events are so important:
- Face-to-Face Interaction: Meeting someone in person allows for a more personal connection compared to digital interactions. Body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions contribute to communication in ways that are often missed in online interactions.
- Building Trust and Rapport: In-person meetings facilitate the building of trust and rapport more effectively than virtual interactions. Sharing physical space can help establish a deeper connection and foster a sense of mutual understanding and respect.
- Networking Opportunities: In-person events provide valuable opportunities to meet new people, exchange ideas, and establish professional connections. These events often attract individuals from diverse backgrounds and industries, creating a rich environment for networking and collaboration.
- Expanding Professional Circles: Attending networking events allows individuals to expand their professional circles by connecting with peers, mentors, industry leaders, and potential collaborators. These connections can lead to new opportunities, such as job offers, partnerships, or referrals.
- Information Sharing and Learning: In-person events often feature presentations, workshops, and panel discussions where attendees can learn from experts in their field, gain insights into industry trends, and exchange knowledge and best practices with peers.
- Personal Branding and Visibility: Active participation in networking events can enhance personal branding and visibility within their industry or professional community. Engaging with others in person allows individuals to showcase their expertise, personality, and unique value proposition.
While digital networking platforms have become increasingly popular and convenient, in-person networking events continue to offer unique benefits that cannot be fully replicated online. Therefore, incorporating both digital and in-person networking strategies can maximise networking effectiveness and opportunities for professional growth.
You don’t just have to have a focus on business related events, how about charity events? Does your brand support a charity?
Here are some of our top reasons as to why charity focused events are so important:
- Raising Funds: The primary goal of charity events is often to raise funds for a specific cause or organisation. These funds can be used to support various initiatives.
- Raising Awareness: Charity events help raise awareness about important social issues and causes. By bringing people together and highlighting the challenges faced by certain communities or the environment, these events contribute to increasing public understanding and empathy.
- Community Engagement: Charity events provide opportunities for community members and businesses to come together and support a common cause. Whether it’s through volunteering, sponsorship, or attendance, participation in charity events brings a sense of belonging and solidarity within the community.
- Promoting Social Responsibility: By participating in or supporting charity events, individuals and businesses demonstrate their commitment to social responsibility. This can enhance their reputation, strengthen relationships with stakeholders, and attract socially-conscious consumers or employees.
- Networking and Relationship Building: Charity events bring together people from diverse backgrounds, including donors, volunteers, sponsors, and beneficiaries. These events offer valuable networking opportunities, allowing participants to forge new connections, build relationships, and collaborate on future initiatives.
- Inspiring Action: Charity events can inspire individuals to take action and get involved in addressing social, environmental, or humanitarian issues. By showcasing the impact of collective efforts and highlighting success stories, these events motivate others to contribute their time, resources, or skills to make a difference.
- Celebrating Achievements: Charity events often celebrate the achievements and milestones of charitable organisations, volunteers, and beneficiaries. These events recognise and honour individuals and groups who have made significant contributions to the cause, inspiring others to continue their efforts.
Talent Drive is supporting Julia’s House and MYTIME charities this year. For Julia’s House the Talent Drive and Talent Finance teams are taking part in a 10 mile trek along the South Coast – You can learn more about Julia’s House here and you can donate to our trek here!
We are currently in the works of organising an exciting event with MYTIME which you will be able to get involved with, so keep your eyes peeled!
Now might be a good time to start making an event or networking plan for the year to showcase your brand or start thinking about a charity you would like to support. There are so many events out there for you to attend and make new connections.
