Make connections and get ahead for International Women’s Day

For International Women’s Day 2024, together with CMS, we welcomed young women to CMS’s offices in London and Manchester for a masterclass in networking and communication.

In our 14th year running an International Women’s Day masterclass with international law firm CMS, we welcomed speakers and volunteers from various industries to give the young women in the room insights into their career journeys, as well as the power of a network.

Louise Starling, Senior Responsible Business and Social Impact Manager at CMS highlighted the importance of events like these.

“We’re so proud at CMS to help young people develop their skills and confidence. It’s been great to celebrate International Women’s Day and their theme of inspiring inclusion, and even better to expand the event to our Manchester office this year. We hope the students left feeling inspired and motivated about their futures, and of course, to start building their networks!”

The students had the opportunity to practice networking with their peers, as well as professionals in the room in our interactive session.

“I really enjoyed networking, I see that it can be fun and creative, and allows you to put yourself out there and gain new skills.” London student.

They also had a chance to ask our volunteers more about their career journeys, especially their experiences as women. Bianca Miller-Cole, one of our speakers, offered her advice for dealing with imposter syndrome.

“I think you have to remind yourself of the reason you are there. You’ve got that opportunity for a reason – it’s not a fluke. You’re there because your CV was good enough, your application was good enough, and you are good enough. Look at it like this – the door is open, now you just need to walk in.”

At the London session we heard more from Bianca, who is an entrepreneur and author, on her career journey – which included trying different roles until she found the right path for her. She shared four steps to making connections and building your network, which covered:

1. 1. The power of a profile – helping our young people think about what makes them stand out to start creating their personal brand.

1. 1. Building a network – how to use networking in-person and online to help them succeed in their careers and life.

1. 1. Making a good impression – considering how body language and attitude can boost their networking skills and create authentic connections with others.

1. 1. Being clear about goals – Bianca encouraged the young women to challenge themselves, adapt to change and take ownership of their futures.
      Students reflected on what they learned throughout the masterclass, and what they’re taking away from it to use in their careers.

“I learned that networking creates new opportunities for you that can help you in the future, and to do it well you have to ask questions that show curiosity and put yourself out there. It’s important to be flexible, open-minded, and kind to show your potential employer or colleagues who you are.” Student from Haverstock School, London

“I’ve learnt that it’s important to take every opportunity and get insights from others on different careers which could benefit me in the future.” Leona, student.

“We talked about it and realised that networking is knowledge and knowledge is power. And power gives you more opportunities, insights and visibility – like who can help you and how you can help them.” Students from London schools

“It’s good to network because understanding other people’s journeys will help shape yours. We also learned to take any opportunity big or small, whether it’s personal or academic, that could lead you to other steps.”

“This session showed me the power of having a profile and how to start building my personal brand too. Also, it’s okay to not know where you’re going in the future, and networking can help you find out more about different jobs and careers.” Khadija, Petchey Academy in London

One of our volunteers, Chloe Nankivell, General Counsel at Dentsu UK and I, reflected on her experience of the day.

“It’s been a fantastic event today – it’s so brilliant to see so much engagement from all of the students. If I had been able to access the information, resources, and amazing stories from these women when I was trying to make decisions at their age, I would’ve really benefitted, so it’s brilliant that it’s happening for these young women.”

Lynne-Marie Betteridge, our Regional Manager for the North West of England, summed up our IWD celebration events.

“Today was an incredible opportunity for our students, enabling them to connect and network with inspirational women from a range of different backgrounds, careers, and companies. Students put their networking skills into practice and engaged in rich and meaningful conversations with a number of different female professionals, hearing about their career journeys and top tips for networking.

There was definitely something special about bringing together a diverse and talented group of women, all wanting to empower, uplift and inspire one another – and today’s event did just that. A huge thanks to CMS for providing this opportunity for our students.”