Essentials of Hosting Successful Career-Focused Events

1. Set event aims

Before you go any further, it’s essential to clarify the purpose of the event. Be clear with your committee, members, and other stakeholders about why you’re hosting it. What is the goal of the event? Are you aiming to foster professional growth, enhance specific skills, or create a space for members to connect?

2. Know your audience

Equally important is defining who the event is for—is it targeted at society members, alumni, or external professionals? Make sure that you have factored in what your target audience would specifically like to see to ensure that turnout is good. Having a clear understanding of these aspects will set expectations and help you focus your efforts.

3. Match content with structure

The content of your event is what will keep people engaged, so it’s crucial to plan carefully. What will the event encompass? Will it include guest speakers, interactive workshops, or hands-on activities? How will the event be structured? Whether it’s a single-day or multi-day event, think about how to balance sessions with networking opportunities, allowing enough time for attendees to engage with one another. A well-structured schedule will help ensure the event meets its goals and keeps participants involved.

During the event, you may want to opt for a panel set up with a moderator to stimulate and lead discussions. A different person could give welcoming remarks, introduce individual panel members (which requires some prior research), and close the event.

If you’d like to engage your audience, you could use Mentimeter or Poll Everywhere to collect questions and contributions.

4. Maintain effective communication

It’s usually a good idea to reach out to multiple individuals when arranging workshops. This approach brings a variety of perspectives and expertise, which can make the event more engaging and beneficial for attendees.

Early contact with potential speakers or facilitators is key. Outline their expertise and how it fits with the goals of your event. A diverse group (gender, ethnicity, and career stage) of speakers will liven up discussions and keep your attendees interested.

Always be mindful that your speakers may be taking time out of a busy schedule, and so be polite and considerate in your requests, maintaining a professional image of your ACS. If you’re struggling to find people to source speakers, consider your own personal network, be it lecturers or recent graduates who’ve made headway in their careers.

5. Market strategically

Not all members may immediately see the benefit of attending a career-focused event, so it’s important to consider how to appeal to a wider audience.

Start marketing early to give everyone a chance to hear about it. Promote the event through posters, emails, and social media platforms, and consider asking enthusiastic attendees to spread the word. Encouraging word-of-mouth promotion can help generate more interest.

Offering incentives, such as networking opportunities, access to industry professionals, or skill-building sessions, can also increase appeal.

Clear, relatable messaging is essential. Show how attending the event can have a positive impact on members’ personal or professional journeys, even if they’re not immediately focused on career advancement.

6. Risk Mitigation

Finally, make sure to identify any potential risks and ways to mitigate them, such as technical difficulties or schedule changes. Keep the event interactive and enjoyable to leave a lasting impression on participants.

7. Connect with your audience

After the event, gather feedback to refine your approach for future events, ensuring each one is even better than the last. Instagram or WhatsApp polls tend to be more successful in terms of engagement over links to forms, so we would recommend these.

With regards to social media, get permission to take a group shot of your speakers and attendees and be sure to share them soon after the event so that, should people want to, they have something to add to their LinkedIn pages.