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Lower and Upper Sixth students gathered in the New Bury for an engaging and insightful careers assembly focused on the power of networking. The event featured two accomplished speakers, Emma Cleary and Ioana Nagy, who shared their expertise and personal experiences with the students.

Emma Cleary, Founder and Director of Flexibility Matters and a former parent, offered a wealth of knowledge on the essentials of networking. As the head of a recruitment consultancy dedicated to flexible working, Emma guided students through the key aspects of building and leveraging their networks. She explained what networking is, helping students understand its purpose and impact. She spoke about how to build a network by recognising who is already part of it and highlighted the importance of networking by exploring the benefits and opportunities it can unlock. Emma shared practical strategies to make meaningful connections and emphasised the power of LinkedIn, encouraging students to use the platform effectively to enhance their professional visibility. Her key messages revolved around networking with purpose, practicing the skill, joining relevant groups, combining LinkedIn and CV development with networking, and offering help while also seeking support from one’s network.

Ioana Nagy, Marketing Director at Raps Management and a former Hurst student, brought a relatable and dynamic perspective by sharing her own networking journey. With a background in media and broadcasting — including roles at Sky, Disney, BBC, and ITV — Ioana walked students through her experiences of using networking from her time at Hurst, during her gap year, at university, and throughout her professional career. She reflected on moments where networking didn’t go as planned, sharing lessons learned from missed opportunities and the challenges of working without a solid network. Ioana also explained how she applies networking skills in her role today, encouraging students to start by connecting with people they already know, to accept that not every attempt will be successful but is always worth trying, and to embrace networking with everyone they encounter.

The event set the stage for students to put their newfound skills into practice the very next day, during the Careers in Finance & Banking event. This hands-on networking session provided a perfect opportunity for students to test their strategies, build new connections, and reinforce the lessons learned from Emma and Ioana.

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