Going to industry events can be a great way to learn more about the industry, meet people in it and start your network. Even things like Coffee Chats, Meetup.com or industry association events are a great start.
Preparation before an event
Make sure your introduction/elevator pitch is solid, not too long, and have some questions prepped to ask people you’re talking to
Have a look at the guest list, and do a little bit of research on the companies that might be there.
Have your LinkedIn tidy and up to date, some projects/work on your LinkedIn or on your phone to show.
Set a small goal for the night – even just to talk to 1 new person
What events to go to:
Even things like Coffee Chats, Meetup.com or industry association events are a great start.
Conferences, talks, industry functions, Startup Week, The Grid or some of your local space
Breaking into closed circles at events
This is genuinely one of the most uncomfortable networking moments and almost everyone has experienced it. A few approaches:
The easiest is to look for the edges — most circles aren’t as closed as they feel. A good way to try and join is to slightly near a group (not hovering, just adjacent), make eye contact with someone on the outer edge, and smile. Often they’ll naturally open the circle slightly. If they do, step in and introduce yourself briefly.
Look for other solo people — there’s almost always someone else standing alone looking equally uncertain. They’re your best bet for a genuine conversation and you can move through the room together from there.
Use the environment — the food table, the bar, the registration desk are all natural equalizers where people are briefly separated from their groups, often a quick neutral observation/comment like “the food looks good!” or a simple “how are you finding it tonight?” is enough to break the ice and get a conversation started. If it doesn’t eventuate, then think of it as a win, and your first hurdle complete!
If a group is genuinely closed and unresponsive, don’t force it — just move on without taking it personally. It’s usually not about you; people fall into catch-up mode with people they already know. The NZ tech scene is small enough that you’ll see them again.
2. When and how long to pitch
The key thing to know here is that a networking pitch isn’t a presentation, it should be a conversation opener. The goal isn’t to tell them everything — it’s to say just enough that they want to ask you something in return.
In practice, try to follow these guidelines:
- At a casual event or meet and greet: just say 2–3 sentences max – your name, what you’re studying or doing, and one specific thing you’re interested in or looking for, then ask them something.
- When someone asks “so what do you do?”: Same — 2–3 sentences, then turn it back to them.
- When you’ve been specifically invited to pitch (like a structured speed networking format): up to 60 seconds, but still end with a question for them.
The boredom from the person you’re talking to can almost always caused by one of two things: too much detail, too soon (about the tech stack, the project specifics etc) before establishing why they should care, not pausing to include the other person, or not allowing space for the conversation to flow back and forth.
Employers at events will talk to a lot of students — the ones who stand out are the ones who do their research, ask good questions and actively listen, not the ones with the longest or most impressive pitch.
A simple elevator pitch/formula is: “I’m [name], I’m studying [X] and I’m particularly interested in [specific thing]. What does your team work on?”
3. Sending a LinkedIn request after the fact
Absolutely feel free to send a request, it’s actually quite common and normal. A day or two after the event is fine and sometimes better than on the night when things are busy.
However, don’t just send one for the sake of it, try to stick to key people or comapnies that you’re genuinely interested in.
The key is adding a personal note so they remember who you are:
“Hi [Name], it was great chatting at [event] last night — really interesting to hear about your work in [thing they mentioned]. Would love to stay connected.”
Without the note, a request from someone they met briefly in a busy room can feel confusing. With it, it’s a warm and professional follow-up, most people will appreciate the effort and are more likely to remember you.
4. Following up after events without it feeling awkward
The awkwardness usually comes from either waiting too long (so it feels random) or over-engineering the message (so it feels like a template).
The sweet spot:
- Follow up within 24–48 hours while the conversation is still fresh for both of you
- Reference something specific from your conversation — this is what makes it feel human rather than copy-pasted
- Keep it short — 2–4 sentences is plenty. You’re not writing an essay, you’re closing the loop on a conversation
Example:
“Hi [Name], really enjoyed our chat at [event] — your point about [specific thing] was something I hadn’t considered before. Would love to stay connected and follow your work.”
If they mentioned a resource, a company, or an event — and you looked it up afterwards — that’s gold:
“I looked up [thing you mentioned] after our conversation — really interesting, thanks for the recommendation.”
That kind of follow-up is memorable precisely because most people don’t do it. In NZ’s small tech market, being the person who actually follows through is a genuinely differentiating quality. 😊