{"id":169179,"date":"2024-06-06T15:28:38","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T13:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=169179"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:23","slug":"overwhelmed-by-big-networking-events-alisa-started-hosting-her-own-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2024\/06\/06\/overwhelmed-by-big-networking-events-alisa-started-hosting-her-own-events\/","title":{"rendered":"Overwhelmed by big networking events, Alisa started hosting her own events"},"content":{"rendered":"

Enthusiastic job-searchers are eager to be remembered. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to pitch yourself when you only have ten seconds to do so\u201d, says Alisa Mahaletska, a creative entrepreneur and EUR student. She hosts small networking events.<\/p>\n

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How do you stand out to a (hopefully) future employer? Alisa Mahaletska helps fellow students.<\/span><\/p>

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Alisa is from Ukraine and has been living in the Netherlands for five years now. She finished her bachelor\u2019s in Communication and Media and is now continuing her studies with a master\u2019s in Management at Erasmus University. She decided to start uploading content about her life in Rotterdam on social media in July 2023 and to expand her network after struggling to find a job due to not speaking Dutch.<\/p>\n

Overwhelmed<\/h2>

To expand her social circle, Alisa went to big networking events. An example is \u2018Amstercannes\u2019, a festival filled with panel discussions with creative industry insiders and people can buy tickets to meet and talk with them. Soon enough she realised that forming connections at large-scale networking events was going to be tougher than anticipated. \u201cBig events overwhelm with the amount of people attending.\u201d <\/p>\n

She specifically recalls an event she attended in Amsterdam a year ago: \u201cI was excited but there were so many people. I was so shy I didn\u2019t talk to anyone, I felt very small and uneducated and couldn\u2019t bring anything to the table.\u201d Alisa comments how at large networking events, there are so many people that it creates an \u2018overwhelming pressure\u2019 to decide who to talk to. <\/p>\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\u2018I want to give space for like-minded people and it\u2019s not just about the job\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Organising own events<\/h2>

The growing frustration at the big networking events combined with her love for hosting inspired the small networking events she started organising. People who attend her events are usually students and recent graduates who are interested or in some way involved in the creative industry. Her approach was to create something \u2018more personal\u2019 where people have \u2018high chances to get along and get into their network circles\u2019. Alisa hosts events twice a month and notifies people through her Instagram.<\/p>\n

She is aware that other people also struggle with networking at big events and wants to create a different atmosphere. \u201cI want to give space for like-minded people and it\u2019s not just about the job.\u201d Her events find success, she says, as they are fully booked and by the end attendees find friends, business partners or both.<\/p>\n

Currently, she is working on a mystery event. Alisa finds that creating smaller events with more interaction facilitate a successful networking community that is more than conversing about yourself and your work. \u201cYou introduce new people, see how they work in teams and create the feeling of unity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Understand your brand<\/h2>
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From her experience with all kinds of networking events, Alisa is starting to understand what works. One of the traps that people fall into is failing to prepare for the event. But what does being prepared imply? \u201cContext matters a lot\u201d, says Alisa. Being aware of who you want to approach, an employer or a work partner, you should think of information about yourself that people will find important.<\/p>\n

Making a good first impression can be a powerful tool when it comes to networking, she continues. Hair, makeup, clothes can be used in a unique way. \u201cEverybody has a brand, you just need to understand what it is\u201d, says Alisa. It can come from \u2018the way you combine your clothes, your jewelry or tattoos\u2019. Even \u2018wearing plain clothes can be outstanding\u2019 in a crowd full of people all dressing in colorful clothing. <\/p>\n

Unusual approach<\/h2>

It\u2019s about \u2018setting the right tone\u2019 \u2013 \u2018bringing donuts to a company\u2019 or \u2018giving a business card to your mentor\u2019 \u2013, says Alisa when talking about forming a connection. One instance, that Alisa talks about, is a guy gifting her a pineapple upon meeting each other. This gesture ended up evoking positive emotions and was a \u2018small thing that made my day\u2019.<\/p>\n

A point of continuation <\/h2>

\u201cDon\u2019t stop at \u2018Nice meeting you, goodbye\u2019\u201d, says Alisa. Try to have a \u2018continuation\u2019 by reminding people of yourself and your craft on various social platforms such as Instagram. When it comes to her strategy Alisa says: \u201cI keep making content, so I pop up on their feed and stay in their vision. They see that I\u2019m available for projects and collaborations.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\t

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