The Hustle Summit is a New York City networking event that will be held on July 17. Hosted by FindSpark, a networking community geared toward millennials, this event is perfect for new graduates looking for internships and companies looking for new hires. It’s also an opportunity for creatives to meet collaborators. Marketed as a networking event for people who hate networking, it promises to be fun, dynamic and accessible.
The event will be held at Irving Plaza, a venue that typically hosts rock bands, but FindSpark is the rock star of the job market. FindSpark describes themselves as, “a community by and for the most ambitious diverse young pros out there.” They promote the Summit as an event “for college students and young professionals who have a history of getting shit done.” This will not be your mother’s networking event.
“We have created a really ambitious, diverse community, and we are able to show these employers that these are people that they need to be connected with. These are people who are going to join a company and really make a difference,” Emily Miethner, CEO and founder of FindSpark said. “That’s why employers come to us, because they realize that to be successful they need to be hiring a diverse workforce and that millennials are important talent to have, and we have them.”
Miethner said companies experience many benefits when hiring from the millennials job pool. “These are people who are innovative. They pick up on trends faster because they are used to having more information at their fingertips. Employers have to work harder than ever to attract and maintain millennial talent because we are not as easily pleased. People think millennials think they deserve more than they actually do, but it’s because we have so much information. We want to be in a role where we can utilize our skill set, get mentorship, and have a social impact, that’s a place where we can grow.”
The event will be a huge party with offerings like a resume bar, a mentorship lounge, and an after party with an actual bar (all DJ’d by rapper Little Wayne’s personal DJ.) It will be a party with substance though, with employers like HBO, BuzzFeed, Univision, L’Oreal and Time Inc. scheduled to attend.
The price of admission includes access to a free app that allows you to search FindSpark’s database of resumes, inclusion in a digital resume book for employers and a swag bag. VIP tickets include a FindSpark Premium Membership, extra time with employers, and will have your resume sent to employers before the event.
Besides being sure your resume and portfolio are up to date, Miethner recommends having digital copies available to show and share.
“Do an audit of your online presence by doing an incognito search of yourself. Make sure the top results are updated. We work with an amazing partner, Wix.com, and we encourage people to build a personal website so that you have something nice, clean, and presentable. You need to have somewhere where you can link to all your social media profiles,” Miethner said.
She said attendees should bee able to show people your website, portfolio, or resume right away so have that it is ready on your phone or tablet.
She recommends that you search through the FindSpark database of resumes and have a list of names of people that you’d like to meet. “And have goals, but at the same time I believe in serendipity and being open to things you didn’t plan for. I think it’s good to have a plan, but also to be open minded.”
Having fun is also a priority, Miethner continued, “This is a networking event for people who hate networking events. When you talk to people you’ll hear over and over again that the vibe and comfort level exceeds anything else they’ve ever been to. It’s all about our community and our team.”
While business casual is the official dress code, even that has a millennial twist. “We have a handful of blog posts about what to wear to events like this, we definitely believe in dressing for the job you want. Look good, look sharp, present yourself well because obviously that first impression means a lot,” Miethner added. “We also want people to be comfortable and show off their style. We work with a lot of creatives, or people who want to be in a creative atmosphere. We are always impressed with the dress of our team members and our techies.”
That means combining comfort and business appropriateness and adding a personal touch. If you can’t bear the idea of spending hours on your feet in anything but Chucks, then wear them, but combine them with a more conventional outfit. If jeans are a second skin to you, then wear them with a nice top and a blazer. Miethner elaborates, “Do that balancing act of looking sharp and professional and still being comfortable and showing off your personality. You want to end up working for a company where you can be comfortable, but you want to make that first impression too.”
If you can’t make it out to the event itself, there are still ways to participate so that it’s well worth the registration fee. Registree’s will have their resume shared with employers, they’ll have access to the private app, and of course, all the live tweets and Instagrams. Follow the event on social media with the hashtag, #hustlesummit.
Lioness readers might find this event particularly useful, because as Miethner points out, that female entrepreneurs often feel like they need to do everything. Using networking events like this one can put you in contact with young creatives looking for a break. Using interns to do the little things can free you to concentrate on core objectives, and young creatives are usually interested in doing small special projects for less money as long as they can use the project in their portfolio.
Follow the hashtag #hustlesummit for information leading up to the event and for live coverage. Hustlesummit.co also has plenty more information about what to expect and how to prepare. Lioness will be sending a correspondent to the event, so stay tuned for updates!
Rachel Rojas is a freelance writer out of Springfield, Massachusetts. She writes local interest stories for The Westfield News, business articles for Lioness Magazine, and dabbles in short novels in between assignments. Despite the fact that she loves all things intellectual, she has a soft spot for trashy romance novels and pretty clothes.
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