Networking has a bit of a reputation problem. It sounds like something that involves business cards, awkward small talk, and pretending to be more confident than you are.
In reality — especially in NZ — it’s much simpler than that. The tech and creative industries here are small enough that genuine relationships form fast, and showing up consistently matters far more than being impressive once.
Here’s how to do it without dreading it.
Start with the right mindset
Forget the work “networking” and think of it as meeting people who do interesting work and having genuine conversations with them.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need a polished pitch or a impressive portfolio yet. “I’m studying X and trying to understand what the industry actually looks like” is a completely legitimate reason to be at an event, send a message, or ask for a coffee chat.
The people you want to connect with were students once too — most of them remember it, and most of them are more open to a genuine conversation than you’d expect.
The golden rules
Don’t come on too strong
You’re building relationships, not making sales. Be curious and friendly rather than self-promotional. The goal of a first conversation is to have a second one — not to land a job on the spot.
Show genuine interest
Ask about their work, their path, what they’re finding interesting right now. People remember the person who asked good questions far longer than the person who gave a great pitch.
Actually listen
This sounds obvious but it’s genuinely rare. Put your phone away, make eye contact, and pay attention to what they’re saying rather than planning what you’ll say next. If you pick up on something they mention — a project, a tool, a challenge — follow that thread. It’s how conversations go from small talk to something memorable.
Ask open questions
Questions that start with who, what, where, when, and how keep conversations alive. “What kind of projects does your team work on?” gets you much further than “do you do web development?”
Where to go in NZ
You don’t need to go to everything — pick a few that are relevant to where you want to end up and go consistently.
For tech students
- Summer of Tech events (you’re already here!)
- Meetup.com — search your city + your area of interest (JavaScript, data, UX, DevOps etc.)
- NZTech events and webinars
- AWS User Group, Google Developer Group, and other tech community meetups
- Hackathons and startup weekends — Startup Weekend NZ, NASA Space Apps, local uni hackathons
- Eventbrite NZ — filter by technology
For design and UX/UI students
- Design Assembly events (Auckland and Wellington)
- Creative Mornings Auckland and Wellington
- UX New Zealand conference
- UXNZ and UX Aotearoa community events
- Behance Portfolio Reviews (when they run)
For everyone
- She Sharp and Diverse NZ Tech — great for women and underrepresented groups in tech
- F**kUp Nights — honest stories about failure, great for meeting real humans in industry
- Your university’s industry events and career expos — underrated, lower pressure
- Volunteering to help set up or pack down at events — best way to meet organisers and speakers without having to cold-approach anyone
Online communities that lead to real connections
- Design Assembly Slack
- NZ Tech LinkedIn groups
- Kiwi tech and design Discord servers
- Following and engaging with NZ industry voices on LinkedIn
Go to things even when you don’t feel ready
The most common regret from students after their first industry event is “I wish I’d gone to one sooner.” The people who seem confident have usually just been to more of them — confidence at events is mostly familiarity, not personality.
If there’s a drinks or dinner after an event, go. That’s usually where the more relaxed and genuine conversations happen, and where you’re most likely to meet speakers and organisers in a less formal context.
If your city doesn’t have the meetup you want — or the one you want is missing a student-friendly version — consider helping organise one. It’s a commitment, but it’s also the fastest way to meet everyone in the room.
Online networking is just as valid
Especially outside Auckland and Wellington, and especially post-2020, a lot of relationship-building in NZ’s creative and tech industries happens online.
- Comment genuinely on posts from people doing work you find interesting — a thoughtful comment gets you noticed in a small community
- Share something you’ve learned or built, with a short reflection on it
- Reach out directly to people whose work interests you — a short, genuine LinkedIn message asking for a 15-minute virtual coffee is often well-received in NZ, especially from students
- Post your own content — see the [LinkedIn posting guide] for how to do this without it feeling performative
It’s a two-way street
The relationships that last are the ones where both people get something from it. You’re not just there to collect contacts — you’re there to be a person worth knowing.
That means: following up when you say you will, sharing things that might be useful to people in your network, engaging with other people’s work and milestones, and being genuinely supportive of others who are figuring things out alongside you.
In a small industry like NZ tech and design, your reputation is built slowly and consistently — and it starts much earlier than most students realise. Showing up, being genuine, and following through are more valuable here than they would be in a much larger market.
For more on specific situations — breaking into closed circles at events, how long to pitch, and following up on LinkedIn — see [Networking at Events]. For reaching out to companies and people you haven’t met yet, see [Cold Outreach: Coffee Chats, Company Visits & Internships].