How To Make The Most Of Events As A Career Changer

As a career changer, events can be goldmines for your shift.

They’re brilliant opportunities to meet lots of new people, gather real-life information and insights, and immerse yourself in the fields that interest you – all in a very short period of time. 

You might discover a new organisation, meet someone who can tell you how things work, hear about a role you didn’t know existed, find your next event, or just realise that something you thought would be great isn’t actually for you. Or you might leave with a general sense of “I want more of this” – which can be great information in itself.

But feeling excited about an event you’ve found, and feeling confident about attending, are two quite different things. 

Maybe the nervous questions are bubbling: 

What do I do when I get there? Who do I talk to? What if everyone already knows each other? What if I make it awkward? How do I introduce myself when I’m changing career and don’t even know exactly what I’m changing into? 

The good news is, you don’t need to arrive with an elevator pitch, a five-year plan, or a list of people you need to impress. There’s a much more organic and relaxed way to use them to build relationships in fields and industries you’re interested in.

So if you’ve got an event coming up and you want to make the most of it, here’s where to start.

Before the event

1. Go wide

When you're making a shift, it’s tempting to only look for ‘professional’ events: a careers fair, professional conference, a networking event, a coffee afternoon. 

And while these are incredibly useful, as a career changer it’s also important to be taking yourself into a range of different spaces. 

So think broadly: what kinds of events will people in the industries and areas you’re curious about be attending off their own backs – because they share your interests, not just because they’re supposed to be there in a professional capacity?

That could mean a public lecture, a festival, an exhibition, a book launch, museum event, philosophy talk, community gathering, a workshop, a film screening, a campaigning day, or a panel discussion.

If you already have ideas about what you want to do, you can use that specific interest as a jumping-off point. 

If you’re still in the idea-generation stage, you can simply go to something that’s new-to-you and sounds like it could be fun.

What’s particularly nice about this approach is that you’ll meet people who aren’t specifically in the business of hiring, and who aren’t there looking for anything in particular themselves. 

This can take a lot of the pressure off you to ‘perform’, and get you in front of folks who are, pure and simple, interested in the same things you are.

Don’t think about going to an event to find a job. Just consider this as an opportunity to immerse yourself in a world you’re interested in.

2. Give yourself a mini-mission

Events can feel overwhelming, and ‘do some networking’ is exactly the kind of woolly purpose for attending that can give you a case of the panics.

It's a bit vague, intimidating, and hard to know when you've succeeded.

So instead, give yourself just one small mission for the event. Ask yourself the magic question: “What one thing would make the biggest difference to my career change right now?”

Maybe you want to meet one new person who works in this field. Perhaps you want some suggestions for other events to attend. You might aim for an introduction to someone inspiring, or find out what a particular organisation is like to work in.

Having a small, achievable goal can focus your attention, give you a clear subject to talk to people about, and minimise overwhelm, making it more likely you’ll actually walk away having achieved something meaningful.

3. Do a little research (but only a little)

A lot of classic networking advice will tell you to research the speakers at an event. 

That often means finding out people’s background on Linkedin, noticing where they’ve spoken before, checking out the books they’ve written. And this is all great research to do… if and when you get to speak to someone in a 1:1 context.

But if you’re at an event where there are lots of people to talk to, trying to research everyone and remember lots of details is only going to overwhelm you.

If there's an attendee list, speaker list or information about the organisers, have a look beforehand.

Identify two or three people or organisations you're particularly curious about, and have a short, 5-minute read of their background. Don’t think of this as ‘research’; just follow the thread of what interests you about them – and then step away.

The things that have piqued your interest will stick in your head enough to recognise an opportunity when it appears.

4. Prepare (and practise!) a short introduction 

There’s one moment at events where a lot of career changers collapse in on themselves like wet origami: the question: “So, tell me about you?”

As someone who’s (practically or emotionally) in-between identities, that question can feel complex and awkward, so don’t put yourself in a position where you’re having to deal with it on the fly.

Ahead of time, come up with a (short!) response and memorise it, so it’s firmly in your head. 

The purpose of this is not to tell them everything they need to know about you – so don’t try to cram in a condensed version of your CV/resumé and a run-down of all your interests! 

This first introduction is simply to give them something to hook onto, and a place to continue the conversation from.

A good structure is:

• What do you do now? 
• What are you exploring?
• What are you most looking for right now?

Keep it to a couple of sentences.

For example:

“I currently work in marketing and I'm exploring what I want to do next. I'm fascinated by the environment, specifically conservation, so I've started coming along to things like this to understand the industry a bit better. I’d love to get more involved in a hands-on way.”

Or

“My background’s in construction. I’m thinking about a career change and finance has always fascinated me. I worry that I’ll have to completely retrain from scratch, so I’m trying to get a realistic picture of what it would take for someone like me to move into this field.”

Or

“I’ve always been a teacher and I’ve decided it’s time for something new. All I know is the education sector, so I’m putting myself in totally different rooms to expand my view of what other people do for work! Right now, I’m on a mission simply to meet people who have unusual and interesting jobs.”

Notice what's missing from all of these? A shiny, polished career plan.

It’s OK to admit that you don’t have any solid answers yet. You are allowed to be exploring.

In fact, saying you're exploring can actually make conversations more interesting, because it gives people something to be curious about, and sparks people’s innate desire to help problem-solve. 

Being a little non-specific can make it easier for others to suggest a person, organisation, event or idea that’s useful to you, and that you’d never have thought to ask about on your own.

On the day

1. Arrive early

The ten or fifteen minutes before an event can be one of the easiest times to talk to people.

Once the room fills up, people often sit down or settle into groups. 

But early on, everyone is making their way in, looking around, finding the registration desk, getting a drink and working out where they're supposed to be. It's much easier to talk to two people when the room is half empty than it is to walk into a bustling space where everything seems to already be in full swing.

Plus, the people who are running the event are in the sweet-spot: they’ve done everything that needs to be done, but they’re not run off their feet helping lots of other people.

So, if you can, arrive 10–15 minutes early. Crucially, don’t claim a spot somewhere and retreat into your phone! People are much easier to approach when everyone is still arriving and getting settled.

Instead, if there's a reception area, bar, foyer, or entrance where people are milling around or waiting for doors to open, spend some time there and aim to chat (lightly) to a few different people. 

You’re not getting into intense conversations at this stage – you’re simply removing the “oh gosh I’m here all alone and I don’t know anyone” layer of feelings, and creating some friendly faces in the room.

2. Know who to approach

Knowing that the clock is ticking and there are only a couple of hours to ‘make coming to this event worth it’, can sometimes turn the very best of us into… a bit of a weirdo. 

Loitering in corners waiting for that person’s conversation to come to an end so you can jump in and introduce yourself? Finding yourself scanning the room for your next chat while you’re already in conversation with someone else? Meeting someone and then immediately worrying they’re not ‘the best’ person you could be talking to right now?

To start with, don’t try to identify the ‘right’ people to speak to, or make a direct beeline for people you’ve already decided you want to meet. 

Just look for people who are naturally approachable.

That could mean:

• Someone standing on their own.
• Someone wearing a badge from an organisation you're curious about.
• Someone who asked an interesting question during a talk or workshop.
• Someone who seems to know everyone – and can introduce you.
• Someone who you’ve already seen talking to someone you'd like to meet.

At many events, the person you have the most interesting conversation with will be a serendipitous encounter.

They’ll be someone who works in an adjacent organisation, someone who used to work in the field you're exploring, someone who volunteers, someone who knows lots of people in the sector, or simply someone who is deeply interested in the same things you are. So keep an open mind. You don't need to know the outcome of a conversation before you start. 

Early on at an event, just get into the groove of having conversations about what you’re doing and what you’re looking for. 

Once you’re in the swing of things, you’ll feel much more confident to approach the people you arrived looking to speak to.

3. Remember the organisers

This is an easy thing to overlook, but it can also be one of the most productive.

The person checking tickets, welcoming people, or moving that electric cable will probably know exactly who is in the room and what else is happening in this world. Plus, it’s their job to make sure you’re comfortable and getting the most out of the event.

Don’t interrupt a person who’s clearly in the middle of a task – but if you spot someone standing at the side of the room with a clipboard, or sitting alone at a desk, take the opportunity to strike up a conversation.

“I've never been to one of these before. Who would you recommend I introduce myself to as a newbie?”

“I'm so pleased to be here – I’m really interested in this topic. You’re probably a good person to ask – what other organisations or events in this area would you recommend I look at?”

Or, if you're interested in the organisation itself:

“I'm actually curious about <insert organisation name>. What’s it like working here?”

Of course, these people are at work – so keep your time chatting to them limited. 

But don’t miss the chance to let them know who you are and what you're interested in. You never know who they might point in your direction later.

4. Don't forget your name

This seems like a ridiculous thing to include in a piece like this. 

But it's remarkable how often you can casually stumble into a chat with someone, learn a lot, wander off… and realise you know hundreds of details about them but have no idea what their name is. And they have no way of finding you later, either.

So when you're talking to someone, find a moment to drop your name in: "I'm Natasha, by the way – Natasha Stanley."

Beyond basic etiquette, this prompts them to tell you their name in return, which makes it far easier to find them later online if you need to.

It also helps them send others your way. If they're later chatting to someone who can be useful to you, they can say, "Oh, I just met someone you should speak to – Sarah, she's over there in the green jumper." 

It’s amazing how much easier a name makes it for that person to then walk over and say hello.

And if you're going to several events in the same ecosystem – which ideally you will be – names become increasingly valuable. The person you spend ten minutes talking to this week could be someone you bump into again next month. 

When you know each other's names, saying hello again feels much more like a familiar pleasure, and can ease you into the start of an actual friendship.

5. Ask 'mapping' questions

One of the scary parts of attending events – especially if you’re only just dipping your toe into a new area of interest – is knowing what to say. 

You don’t have the jargon. You don’t know the ins and outs of the subject matter. You’re not even sure what you want to do yet – but you also don’t want to waste an interaction with someone you’ll want to impress later.

The good news is, you don't need to know much to have a useful and memorable conversation. 

One of the best things you can do at an event is get the people you meet to help you start mapping the territory; understanding the landscape of the area.

You can ask:

• “Who are the organisations doing interesting work in this space?”
• “What are the big conversations or debates happening at the moment?”
• “What kind of work do people do in this sector?”
• “Who should I be following if I want to understand this industry better?”
• “What kind of people tend to be attracted to this area?”
• “Where do people in this sector tend to meet, talk or share ideas?”

You can also ask people to help you make new connections:

“It sounds like you know quite a few people doing this kind of thing. Who else do you think I should talk to?”

Or:

“If I wanted to spend the next few months getting to know this field properly, what would you suggest I do?”

You don't need to fire these questions off like an interview. Let the conversation lead you.

6. If you're introverted, don't try to become an extrovert

You do not need to ‘work the room’ or talk to 30 people.

Give yourself a target of two or three good conversations. That's plenty.

If starting conversations feels awkward, use the situation you're both in, aim for questions that aren’t yes / no, and don’t be afraid to tell the truth.

• “I don’t know anyone here – can I stand with you for a minute?”
• “This is my first time at one of these – have you been before? Any advice?”
• “I’m so looking forward to this – what brought you here today?”

If you feel your energy levels flagging in a conversation, have an exit line ready – something simple and polite, like:

• “It's been really lovely talking to you. I'm going to have a wander and say hello to a few other people.”

Take breaks before you need them. If a room is noisy, overwhelming, or lacking natural light, it’s likely that your nervous system will be in overdrive even before you feel your energy drop – so give yourself regular opportunities to recharge. 

Step into another room for a few minutes, take a walk around the block, or sit at the edge of the room on your own and just watch what’s going on. 

If you're nervous about going alone, ask a friend to join you – but agree beforehand that you're not going to spend the entire event talking to each other.

Tell them your mission, and ask them to help you achieve it. You could even agree to split up for the first 20 minutes and meet back up afterwards.

Introverts often avoid events because they feel like they’re not ‘for’ people like them. But with a little forward planning and a self-compassionate approach, you can absolutely make events work for you – and get a huge amount of benefit from showing up.

7. Take notes

Don’t be nervous to scribble things down or make voice notes on what you want to remember – especially if you know your brain isn’t great at holding a lot of information for an extended time.

A couple of words will be enough to jog your memory after the fact.

Note down:

• Ideas that interest you
• Names of people to look up
• Organisations
• Books or reports mentioned
• Events people recommend
• Questions you want to investigate
• Things that surprised you

And after every useful conversation, make yourself a tiny summary note; something as simple as: 

Sarah / RSE / programme development / previously museums / perfume workshop / mentioned the Futures Institute. 

It may feel unnecessary when the facts are fresh and you’re excited about what you’re hearing, but it’s remarkable how quickly you can forget the little details. 

Your future self will thank you.

8. Stick around for the bit afterwards

If there's an informal part after the main event – drinks, coffee, a reception, people hanging around – don't disappear the moment the formal programme ends.

People are often more relaxed afterwards, and it also gives you an easy way into conversation with a: “So, what did you think of today?” 

Use this time to: 

• Approach anyone you had wanted to speak to but hadn’t had the chance to until now, particularly if they’d been mentioned by someone else in the room: 

“Hi, Emily, I don’t want to keep you if you’re heading off, but I had a great chat with Rob earlier about the work you’re doing in universities, and he suggested I say hello.”

• Speak to the organisers about other events you should have on your radar: 

“I enjoyed today – thank you so much. I’m trying to immerse myself in the world of manufacturing at the moment – if this is the kind of thing I’m after, what else would you recommend I keep an eye on?”

• Check back in with people you’d like to follow up with:

“Francesca, it was so nice to meet you. Would it be ok if I dropped you a line on LinkedIn? I’d love to keep in touch.”

Don't stay for hours if you’re tired. 

Just give yourself another 20 – 30 minutes and see what happens.

9. Know when you've done enough 

No one event you attend has to be the pivotal moment in your career change.

Each experience should be one square in a patchwork that you’re building, each one adding a little bit more clarity, insight, or connections into your exploration.

And over time, if you’re making the most of this approach, you’ll become a familiar face on the scene; someone people recognise and wave at from across the room, or introduce to other people automatically.

So don't feel guilty about leaving. Don’t stress if you haven’t managed to talk to everyone you wanted to connect with. Keep your goals realistic and achievable. 

A successful event can consist of: 

• 1 useful idea, 
• 2 interesting conversations, and 
• 1 new thing to investigate.

That's a great result.

Afterwards

1. Do a five-minute debrief

On the way home, capture everything that’s fresh in your mind – whether that’s a quick scribble of some notes on the train, or recording a voice note on the way to your car. 

Spend five minutes answering:

• Who did I speak to, and what do I want to remember about them?
• What did I learn?
• What surprised me?
• What has changed for me?
• What made me curious?
• What did I find myself getting excited about?
• Is there anything I now feel less interested in?
• Who or what do I want to follow up with?
• What’s the one thing I want to do next?

Keep it brief, and don’t worry about trying to make sense of anything yet – just capture your thoughts and feelings while they’re still fresh.

2. Follow up soon

If you met someone you'd genuinely like to stay in touch with, send them a quick message within 24 hours.

It doesn't need to be a formal follow-up – just a quick note with a subtle reminder, if possible, to jog their memory about who you are and the conversation you had.

“It was lovely to meet you at the event tonight. I’ve been thinking about what you said about the work you're doing with local healthcare providers – I hadn't realised that was even a part of the sector. Thanks for chatting!”

If someone offered to introduce you to someone else, this is also the moment to take them up on it.

And if you don't have anyone to follow up with, that's completely fine.

Sometimes the thing you take home from an event is a new question, an organisation to look up, or a feeling that confirms – or changes – what you want to explore next.

3. Move things forward

Events can be tiring, and (particularly if you’re more introverted) you may need to take a day or so to let the experience settle – but don’t let that mean you avoid taking action.

Within 24 hours: Drop the key people you want to stay in touch with a message, whether that’s on LinkedIn, via e-mail, or whatever means you agreed.

Within 48 hours: Transfer anything you can act on out of your notes and into your calendar. Heard about a training course you want to research? Block out time to do that specifically. Look up events you heard about, and add them in. Even if you haven’t decided yet whether to go, having them in the place you check regularly will mean you won’t forget about them later. 

Within 72 hours: Choose one thing you want to explore further, and actually take the next step. That might mean looking up an organisation someone mentioned, reading something they recommended, following someone whose work intrigued you, or sending a message to someone you were pointed towards.

It doesn't have to be anything big. The point is to keep your momentum going, and keep the thread alive. One conversation leads to a name, the name leads to an organisation, the organisation leads to another event – and gradually, what started as a vague interest begins to become a much more detailed picture of the world you're exploring.

And if the event has left you thinking “Actually, I'm not sure this is for me”, don't ignore that either – that's useful information. Write down what put you off, what surprised you, and anything you'd like to investigate before you make up your mind.

Get excited

Going to an event as a career changer can feel daunting. 

You’re walking into a room where other people seem to know the language, the organisations, the subject, the jokes, and each other.

But you can also look at it another way: there’s a whole world out there that you haven’t discovered yet, and this is your doorway in.

In the space of a couple of hours, you can walk into a room full of people you’ve never met and come out knowing about an organisation you’d never heard of, a project you didn’t know existed, a book you suddenly want to read, the answer to a question you didn’t know you had, three new friends, and an event you’re already looking forward to next month.

And as a career changer, you don’t need to know enough, impress anyone or leave with a life-changing revelation. You’re simply there to play and explore in a space you’re already interested in.

So find something that sparks your curiosity, and book the ticket. You never know where a couple of hours in an unfamiliar room can take you.

What have you found helpful when going to events as a career changer? Share your tips and advice in the comments below…