Fall Viterbi Homecoming Networking Event

Thursday, November 2, 2023 4-6pm

Open to all Viterbi students in every major and academic level, the Homecoming Networking Event connects students with Viterbi Alumni and industry professionals. Enjoy food and drinks while learning about different employers, exploring industries and getting advice from Alumni.

This event will be hosted in-person on-campus

How to Register:

Login to Viterbi Career Gateway
Go to Events under “Type” and select Career Fairs
Find the event titled “Fall 2023 Viterbi Homecoming Networking Event”
Registration opens on October 2, 2023
Registration Deadline: Friday, October 27, 2023

Space is Limited

The Viterbi Homecoming Networking Event will be In-person On-Campus at USC on Thursday, November 2nd from 4-6 pm.

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

Event Format:

The Viterbi Networking Event will be held outdoors with high-top tables and open networking. NOTE: There will NOT be assigned tables for organizations like a career fair, and not all attendees will be recruiters, but also Alumni and engineers. Instead, there will be high-top tables and all representatives will mingle with students. This format encourages open networking between all students and representatives.

Why Attend a Networking Event?

Gain access to Viterbi industry partners and Alumni in an open, networking format.
Meet engineers and recruiters from your industry, building professional connections.
Get advice and hear tips from Alumni who were once students at Viterbi themselves.
Learn about potential opportunities from industry partners.

Keep in mind that not all participants that attend this networking event are actively recruiting. You should be ready to chat about a variety of topics and focus on obtaining information and advice. There will be a mix of Alumni, Recruiters, and Engineers.

Networking Events are different than recruiting events, here are some tips on what to do:

In the spirit of Homecoming We recommend that participants wear USC/Viterbi branded clothing to show off their school spirit! Enjoy the free food and refreshments during the event.
Review and research attending alumni and organizations (scroll down to see the list).
Arrive on time. Employers and Alumni will arrive at 4 pm.
Chat with as many people as possible and collect contact information.
Remember to ask the person how you should follow-up. (Email, call, LinkedIn, other - everyone has their own preferred way of communication.)
follow up with the contacts you've made within 24-48 hours, or whatever you both agreed to during the conversation. (There is no standard answer because everyone has their own preference.)

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:

Not all attendees are employers, but for those employers who do attend, you can submit your resume to a resume book that will be shared with them after the event. All student attendees will be invited to submit their resume to the book after the event.

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. A list of Attendees will be shared in October 2023

Viterbi Career Connections Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be made in writing to vcareers@usc.edu at least 48 business hours in advance of the event. Any cancellations after that time will be considered a no-show. Students who no-show to events may lose the privilege of RSVPing for future events with limited spaces. Your registration can not be transferred to another student.