Fall Viterbi Networking Event

Thursday, November 19th

Open to all USC Viterbi students, regardless of major or academic level, the Viterbi Networking Event provides an opportunity to connect with Viterbi alumni and employers. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and refreshments while exploring career paths, learning about a variety of employers and industries, and gaining valuable career advice from alumni and professionals.

This event will be held in person on campus.

Registration Coming Soon!

If you are not able to sign-up for any spaces we are creating a day of waitlist in Epstein Family Plaza. Please show up prior to 4pm to join the waitlist and we will allow waitlist students to attend at 4:15pm on a first-come-first serve basis if space is available.

The Viterbi Networking Event will be in-person on campus at USC.

This event will be for Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral Viterbi students from all engineering majors.

Event Format:

The Viterbi Networking Event is designed to encourage meaningful, open networking in a relaxed outdoor setting. Unlike a traditional career fair, there will not be assigned company tables. Instead, alumni, engineers, and employer representatives will mingle with students throughout the event while high-top tables provide informal gathering spaces.

Please note that not all attendees will be recruiters. The event brings together Viterbi alumni, engineers, and industry professionals from a variety of organizations, giving students the opportunity to build connections, explore different career paths, and engage in authentic conversations in a casual networking environment.

Why Attend a Networking Event?

Build your professional network by connecting with Viterbi alumni, industry partners, and employer representatives in a relaxed, open networking environment.
Meet engineers and recruiters from a variety of industries and learn about their organizations, career paths, and experiences.
Gain valuable career advice from Viterbi alumni who have successfully navigated the transition from student to professional.
Explore internship and full-time opportunities while learning about organizations that actively partner with USC Viterbi.
Practice your networking skills and build confidence speaking with alumni, engineers, and industry partners before recruiting season.

Networking Events Are Different from Recruiting Events

Networking events are designed to help you build relationships, expand your professional network, and learn from alumni and industry partners. While you may hear about internship or full-time opportunities, the primary goal is to make meaningful connections—not to apply for jobs.

Keep these tips in mind to make the most of your experience:

Show your Trojan spirit! We encourage attendees to wear USC or Viterbi-branded clothing.
Enjoy complimentary food and refreshments while networking with alumni and industry partners.
Review the list of attending alumni and organizations (see below) and research those you'd like to meet before the event.
Arrive on time. The event begins at 4:00 p.m., and this is a great opportunity to introduce yourself as attendees arrive.
Connect with as many people as possible. Take advantage of the open networking format to have conversations with alumni, engineers, recruiters, and industry partners.
Exchange contact information and ask each person how they prefer to stay in touch (email, LinkedIn, phone, etc.).
Follow up within 24–48 hours—or according to the timeline discussed during your conversation—to thank them for their time and continue building your professional relationship.

Remember: any contact is a good connection regardless of their background and position!

Preparation is key. Make the most of your experience at the Networking Event:

Below are some links and videos for you to feel confident and prepared to network:

Create a professional introduction that is short but showcases your unique skills and interests.
Create a document with questions and your professional introduction to copy and paste during chats for the virtual event or to help you start conversations throughout the on-campus event.
Prepare questions to use as icebreakers and to maintain the flow of conversation.
Remember to ask the person how you should follow-up with them, and take their contact information (Email, LinkedIn).
Update your resume using VMock and the Job & Internship Tool Kit

Opt-In Resume Book:

Because not all event attendees are employers, resumes will not be collected during the event. However, students will have the opportunity to participate in an optional resume book following the event.

After the networking event, all student attendees will receive an invitation to submit their resume. The completed resume book will then be shared with the employers who participated in the event, providing an additional opportunity to be considered for future internship and full-time opportunities.

The Purpose of Networking is to build contacts and develop long-term professional relationships. The connections you gradually develop can provide you insight regarding job opportunities that you may not have known about without your networking contacts. This event will be focused on networking, developing professional contacts, and maintaining relationships. If you are interested in meeting with a particular employer we suggest you attend recruiting events, such as career fairs, Trojan Talks, and OCR events. It is important to differentiate between these two concepts and develop the professional skills needed for both types of events.

Building Professional Connections

People hire people! Networking is integral in the job search. It truly is about "who you know"
There's a hidden job market. Not all positions are posted online, instead filled internally or via networking
Internal referrals (formal or informal) boost your chances of getting a job
Informational Interviews help you connect with professionals to obtain personal insight into a particular profession.

The ability to build professional relationships and contacts through networking is very different than attending a career fair and pitching yourself to a recruiter as to why you are a good fit. The Viterbi Career Connections team provides Viterbi students with opportunities to meet with employers at recruiting events and build professional contacts during networking events. We highly encourage you to attend both recruiting and networking events.

It is important to recognize that recruiters are more likely to connect with you only for a specific job opportunity and the duration of your relationship will be short and focused on hiring. Networking contacts are more likely to connect with you based on shared interests and or mentor/mentee relationships that are more long-term, providing you with information and guidance throughout your career.

Who is Going?

Engineering Professionals from across a variety of disciplines will be attending this event. List of all attendees coming soon. (must be logged in through USC Single-Sign-On to view list)

Registration & Cancellation Policy

If your plans change and you are no longer able to attend, please email vcareers@usc.edu at least 48 business hours before the event so we can offer your spot to another student.

Cancellations received fewer than 48 business hours before the event will be considered a no-show. Because space is limited, students who no-show may lose the privilege of registering for future limited-capacity Viterbi Career Connections events.

Please note that registrations are non-transferable and may not be transferred to another student.

“This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC Viterbi School of Engineering operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.”

Special Thanks to our 2026-27 Employer Sponsors!

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Published on August 13th, 2021Last updated on August 10th, 2026