The Henley Careers Monday Night Employer Panel series is an opportunity for students to learn from, and question panellists representing companies from different industries. The event is hosted and organised by Ed Nicholls, Employer Relations Account Manager from Henley Careers. Ed sources a mixture of experienced professionals and recent graduates, who offer different perspectives on their chosen industry.

So whether you are seeking opportunities to build your network, learn from industry leaders, or even looking for work experience, attending an employer panel event can open doors to your future.

Each week people come from different business areas, varying from Consultancy and Marketing, through to HR, Accountancy and Professional Services. So where ever your interests lie, or if you don’t quite know where your passion is in business; panellists from the likes of Amazon, Goldman Sachs, L’Oreal and PwC through to Local SME’s, can be found at the event. These companies give a broad scope and insight in to the sector and opportunities available for students.

The event is split into two sections. Firstly, a Q&A session where panellists will answer a variety of pre-posed questions on hot topics collated by Ed. This is especially insightful when questions on the recruitment process come up as you learn how to tailor your approach to each company or sector.

Following the Q&A, the floor is opened, giving you the chance to ask questions to the panel directly about their companies and industries. By asking a question, you’ll make an impression, helping you to build rapor with a panel member and giving you something to discuss afterwards.

The second part of the event is a networking session, where you can carry on discussions with the panellists. This part of the event has proved to give attendees invaluable exposure to leading employers and professionals. Not only this, but it has given students the opportunity to network with likeminded students outside of their course, from undergraduate through to MBA level.

Matthew Harden was one student who really benefited from attending these Monday Night Employer Panels, below he shares his story, as he makes a return as a panellist:

“Having done a placement year in IT sales during my 3^rd year, I had an idea of the sort of aspects of a job that I would be looking for when applying for graduate schemes (post finishing my Business and Management degree), but was unsure about which exact industry I could see myself best suited to.

“Thankfully, the careers team at Henley Business School had just started a programme of Monday night employee panels, I attended a number of these, one of which was the Insurance panel. This gave a really useful insight into how the industry works and allowed us to ask questions and then network with members of the industry afterwards.”

I then managed to secure a place on Marsh’s Graduate Development Programme for 2017, which originated from attending the panel, so I would recommend students of all years, not just final year students, to attend these panels as you may find an industry you didn’t know about previously and then find yourself working in it, just as I have done”

Matthew Harden, 2017 Graduate, BA Business & Management

The graduate recruitment market is an extremely competitive space, where even the most talented of individuals may struggle to stand out. Everyone has a degree, so your connections and your work experience are key in helping you to differentiate and stand out.

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