20 candidate event ideas to help build your network

Clare Patterson

There is no better way to build relationships with candidates than meeting them in the flesh. In fact 95% of people said that face-to-face meetings are a key factor in successfully building and maintaining long-term relationships, according to Harvard Business Review.

The strongest relationships will only really flourish through personal approaches. A good way to keep it interesting is to offer a mix of both relaxed/informal events with business events. Both approaches combine work with a little play to keep it fresh and of interest to your candidate network.

Here are 20 types of events that you and your agency could run for candidates:

Host a wine tasting evening: A wine tasting evening can work really well as it gets people relaxed in a more informal way and intervals between the tasting sessions will give you a chance to network with those that are there.

Facilitate a meet-my-customer event: A different and far quicker way of getting a group of candidates in front of your clients would be by running a series of events where you invite a client to present and talk about their company to a selection of your candidates. An event like this might even see you place multiple individuals with that client.

Hold a panel discussion/debate: A panel discussion is an exchange of ideas, giving experts and audience members the chance to discuss a particular topic. Gather a number of experts within your specialist field. Be the moderator and keep the session fast-paced with smart conversation between the panel of experts and your audience.

Meet for a quick coffee or drink: It’s an old school method, but one-to-one networking works really well and by simply inviting someone out for coffee or a quick drink can result in great outcomes without taking up too much time on both parts.

Run a webinar: You can save time spending hours travelling to an event by holding it online. This type of event can see larger numbers in attendance due to the ease of joining. Educational content is your primary objective, and there’s also the option for a live Q&A.

Hold a roundtable: Roundtables often work best in smaller, manageable groups. Bring together your network and keep the session to about an hour and a half. Agree on a specific topic to discuss and debate, and give each person an equal right to participate. Why not ask a customer to sponsor it too?

Facilitate a meet the expert event: Invite an industry expert who is credible and well respected within your industry to talk to your network in depth about topical issues, developments, insight and trends.

Host a training session: Training sessions could provide a great return on investment for candidates that you work with. They’re best arranged for small groups, where learning is the desired outcome.

Hold a conference: A conference with a theme that resonates with your audience will be a great way for you to get your brand known and you in front of individuals who will remember you as a result. Look at getting speakers along that will add value and help attract candidates to attend your event.

Host a lunch or dinner: Business lunches and dinners are a great way to network, and will require good planning and consideration. Try to arrange either a private room or quiet area within the restaurant so that there’s little disruption and noise around you. As the host you should facilitate business-related discussion, but be careful not to jump in to it too soon.

A networking evening: Bring like-minded people together to chat and share experiences. Have a clear purpose and decide on the approach you will be taking; whether it be a more structured, planned out session or freestyle networking, both can work really well.

Throw a party: Everyone loves a party. Why not throw one on site at your agency, offering candidates the opportunity to come in and meet with your team. A party in conjunction with a celebration, such as your agency’s anniversary could be just the excuse to throw it.

Run a seminar: Your seminar should be focussed on a single theme and designed to educate people. Decide on your objectives and theme, and ensure that presentations are relevant and of benefit to the audience.

Speed networking: Offer your candidate network the opportunity to get in front of your clients. Offer “speed-dating”-style interviews so that your candidates and clients can get in front of a wide range of people in a short space of time.

Invite them to a corporate hospitality event: When you get to know your candidates well, you’ll begin to know what their hobbies and interests are. Recording this information in your CRM will allow you to invite them along to hospitality events which might include a day at the races, a football or rugby game, or a cricket or tennis match.

A golfing day: An organised golf outing is a great way to say thanks to candidates that have worked with you. The day should be fun, relaxing, and meaningful for each of your guests. A well-planned event ensures that each player (regardless of ability) enjoys the day.

A bar crawl: It might sound messy, but organised well, these can actually work out well. Golden rules are have a maximum of 10-15 people in the group and keep it to three hours. Screen the bars first and plan a route to take you to each, making sure they are close together, and at some point feed your group.

Treat them to a sailing day: A special invite to your very best candidates, a sailing day is an unforgettable and memorable event that will guarantee to bring out the best in everyone in a very informal setting.

Hold a summer social event: Get your candidates together over the summer months and host a barbecue. Invite them to join you in the summer sun to network while you provide the burgers, drinks and music.

Get festive with a Christmas party: When everyone is unwinding for the year and getting in the Christmas spirit, a party will be a great way to celebrate this special time of year with your candidate network with music, food and a great time to be had by all.

Finally, a few point to remember:

1. Keep the candidate at the forefront of your mind. Ask yourself what’s in it for them to attend? Are you providing them with good content, something that will benefit them or that they will enjoy?

2. It’s all in the preparation. Plan well and you can be sure that your event runs very smoothly.

3. Set a clear objective. Identify a measurable goal, thinking about what you want to achieve when holding the event.

4. Promote it. If you are looking to drive numbers to your events then promote them through your social networks, on your website and through any other channels where your target audience is active.

Clare Patterson is marketing executive at Mercury xRM Recruitment Software.