On Friday, September 11th, QUEST hosted its sixth annual QUEST Corporate Networking Event! Due to social distance restrictions, the event looked different this year, as it was completely virtual. However, the online nature of the event allowed more employers to attend than ever before – a QUEST record-setting 31 companies!
Students were able to have virtual one-on-one chats through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Hangouts between 10 and 45 minutes. Over the course of the event, 139 students had 651 chats with employers! The virtual format allowed companies to come that typically cannot because they are located somewhere that is too far away. These companies included Tesla, Microsoft, and Procter & Gamble, to name a few.
QUEST students enjoyed the virtual format because it allowed them to have 1:1 time with employers without the commotion of others around them. This environment allowed students to connect with recruiters and alumni effectively, and the technology also provided the students with contact information for the person they chatted with so they could follow up afterward.
QUEST students impressed many employers, encouraging them to engage more in the future. David Long, Managing Partner at Tuscany Strategy Consulting, reflected, “Very impressive group. We have determined that this is a critical group to target for new hires.”
QUEST alumnus Zachary Zweig (Cohort 25) from Deloitte was excited to attend the event again, even though the event was virtual. When asked about his chats with current students, he said, “Amazing as usual! The students are all extremely professional while being down to earth. They come with questions prepared and excited to have a conversation.”
QUEST alumnus Joel Liebman (Cohort 14) also attended the event representing Guidehouse and was impressed by the students’ engagement. “Encouraging, pleasant, engaging, and professional. The students were well-dressed and handled themselves well in all conversations. They had meaningful questions and were genuinely engaged,” he said.
Students should be on the lookout for more events from QUEST Corporate! Potential events this year include a mentorship program, “Take a QUEST Around the World,” mock interviews, and product development workshops.
On behalf of the QUEST community, thank you to all of the companies that attended the QUEST Corporate Networking Event. We are so grateful that even in this time of social distancing, our students were able to make connections and build relationships. We are thankful for each company that supports our program, and we look forward to next year’s networking event!
If you’re interested in getting your company involved in future events, contact Jessica Roffe at jroffe@umd.edu.