Academic Workshops

Networking & Social Skills

“It's all about people. It's about networking and being nice to people and not burning any bridges. Your book is going to impress, but in the end it is people that are going to hire you.” – Mike Davidson

Establishing contacts is one of the key skills in the increasingly global academic world. Beyond professional knowledge, it is "soft skills" that are required. Almost everyone has been there: the preparation of a challenging presentation for a conference is often mainly focused on the content to be presented, neglecting the basic groundwork for "simple" conversations during lunch or coffee breaks. These seemingly informal talks during the events often have a major impact. Networking is a success factor and it increasingly takes place in the English language.
Our experienced trainers conduct all workshops in English or German. Get to know our Communication Trainers and our Academic Coaches

Contact Us
Tel. 040 46 88 22 47
Email: info@intercom-language.de

Download Workshop Description PDF


Content of the Workshop

  • Helpful phrases for typical conversation situations, such as
    • introducing yourself and others
    • starting and maintaining an interesting conversation
    • discovering common interests, expressing appreciation for the work or research of the respective conversation partner
    • finding suitable topics and elegant transitions
    • finishing a conversation politely
  • Greetings, invitations and small talk
  • Suitable topics and those which should be avoided
  • Active listening and establishing connections with the respective conversation partner
  • Correctly interpreting body language in social situations
  • Developing cultural understanding
  • Making the most of networking opportunities at university or at conferences
  • Practical conversation exercises and role play

Required English Language Skills

CEF level B1 / B2 or above
We offer a short online test to ascertain the respective language level of the participants. This is helpful but not a must.

Target Group: Undergraduates or PhD students who wish to have quality exchanges and engage with more self-confidence at international conferences or in international teams.

Number of Participants: Up to 10 participants

Duration: 1 day

Objectives

How do you introduce yourself with impact? Which polite phrases are appropriate in which situation and which questions can be used to keep a conversation going? In the case of small talk, the importance is more on the how than on the what. In this workshop participants will become acquainted with the entire range of "social English skills" in an intercultural context. Using role play you will practice and improve those conversational skills which will allow you to establish relationships more easily. Communication creates connection!