On Thursday the 24th of November, TopFem hosted the Network Event: The Next Step. Chairwoman Fien van Rossum opened the evening by welcoming everybody. It was nice to see so many familiar as well as new faces!
So, what does ‘taking the next step’ mean? Well, in September, we focused on developing your personal brand through the workshop given by Jellie Mulder from the Nelleke Mulder Imago Group. In October, the focus was on investing in yourself and your future with a workshop hosted by the Rabobank Leiden and given by Robeco. November’s Network Event was all about bringing these aspects together and moving forward: taking the next step. We did so in three different ways!
To take the next step, you must invest in your personal brand. For that, you need the right tools. It all starts with your CV – it is the first document a recruiter will see. Therefore, your CV plays a crucial part for your further career. It needs to be on point. During the event, young professionals from different branches offered their insight by checking the CV’s of TopFem members. Members also reviewed each other’s CV’s. It was interesting to hear how different professions expect different styles and lay-outs.
Second to your CV, a recruiter wants to know what you look like. This asks for a professional picture – holiday pictures are a no-go! Make sure you have a decent picture for your LinkedIn profile (and make sure you join the TopFem group on LinkedIn here). You can also attach a picture to your CV, though that may not be appreciated by all recruiters. During the event, professional photographer Hanna Verhoog took our pictures.
Our final step during the event was an obvious one: we networked together! Networking is part of both our Programmes, as it is an important pillar of Topfem.
