Network Smart, Pitch Confidently: Your Strategy for Landing the First Role

Networking is no longer optional but is now a core career skill. Studies from LinkedIn and MIT show that “weak ties” (people you don’t know well yet) often open the most doors to new opportunities. In Singapore’s fast-moving job market, where young professionals actively use LinkedIn and live events to get ahead, the ability to network confidently gives you a real edge.

In this highly interactive workshop, students will learn a simple PREP framework: Prepare, Research, Engage and Practice, to help build meaningful connections and speak to employers with clarity and confidence, especially in the midst of preparation for NUS Career Fest 2026.

Participants will learn to:

• Enter any networking event with clear goals, a targeted list of employers/contacts, and a 30–60 second elevator pitch that sets you apart.
• Introduce yourself with confidence using effective verbal and non-verbal communication tools to make a strong first impression.
• Navigate real networking conversations smoothly, start conversations without awkwardness, ask thoughtful questions, sustain engagement, and follow up professionally on LinkedIn.

This is a pre-event workshop for NUS Career Fest 2026.

Speaker(s)

Lee Shin Yin
Deputy Director, LifeSkills Development
NUS Centre for Future-ready Graduates

Shin leads the LifeSkills Development team and oversees the career advisory teams at the School of Computing and the College of Humanities and Sciences. In this role, she leads the design and delivery of a suite of life skills programmes, as well as serves as a Career Advisor in the School of Computing. Prior to joining CFG, Shin was already an active volunteer in CFG programmes including the Global Mentorship Programme, Women’s Professional Development, and CommsLab.

Prior to joining NUS, Shin spent almost 20 years in the banking and finance industry. After graduating with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London, she started her career with UBS Investment Bank in London. She later joined Pictet Asset Management where she spent 15 years, latterly as Chief Executive Officer of Pictet Asset Management in Singapore. Before joining Pictet, Shin spent a year as the Programme Director of SEO London, a non-profit organisation which serves university students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Lakshmi Ramachandran, PhD
Senior Manager, NUS Centre for Future-ready Graduates

Dr Lakshmi Ramachandran, PhD is a LifeSkills Specialist at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Centre for Future-ready Graduates (CFG). She designs and delivers life skills courses and workshops that build students’ confidence and future-ready capabilities. She leads the design and delivery of key CFG modules including CFG1600 (Public Speaking) and CFG1500 (Women’s Professional Development), specialising in communication, emotional intelligence, confidence-building, and team culture.

She is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), recipient of coach awards bronze 2023, Singapore 40-over-40 inspiring woman, and a published author. With a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology and over 20 years of experience in the biomedical sector, she brings a strong research-informed approach to developing human skills in future-ready graduates.

Register by 27 January 2026.
(Registration will close once all slots are filled)