Online M&G FAQs for students
General FAQs
Why do we have to do M&G online? I prefer in-person :(
We do too! We are extremely gutted that we have to move in-person Meet & Greets online. The safety and health of our community is Summer of Tech’s utmost priority and we do not want to put you at risk. More detail about our event health & safety policy is here.
This is a huge change but we have been preparing ourselves. We learned from 2020 and are ready with our very own event platform. We have been testing the event platform since the beginning of the year through our online career clinics involving hundreds of students and industry volunteers from all over Aotearoa. We are confident in our ability to deliver a smooth Online Meet & Greet experience for everyone.
We hope that making this call now will give students, employers, and our team enough time to pave the way for a smooth & exciting Online Meet and Greet. We have laid out our reasons here if you want more detail.
Will all employers and students join this Online M&G?
Yes, all employers and students who have previously registered to attend the in-person Meet & Greets will now join the online version of this event.
How does Online M&G work?
We have built our own event platform to host the Online version of Meet & Greet. It is a simple and easy-to-use queue management system that allows users to connect for 1:1 video chats through reliable third-party video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams.
How does it work?
We have put together these tutorial videos just for you! Please watch carefully as it covers the step by step instructions to participate in an Online Summer of Tech event:
For employers https://youtu.be/GhAs5Q98Xwc
For students https://youtu.be/7CwDgFg3Iec
Do I need a Summer of Tech account to access the event?
Yes, both employers and students need live Summer of Tech accounts to be able to participate in these Online Meet & Greet events.
Don’t have an account? Students register here, you’ll need to complete your profile and get it approved asap! Employers, if you’re new to SoT, register here, or if you’re joining an existing employer organisation your colleagues can invite you or contact the SoT team and we’ll get you sorted.
Logged in but not sure what’s next? Need to get your account approved? Contact us in the blue chat bubble in the bottom right when you log into your profile.
What browser would work best for Online M&G?
Our event platform should be compatible with all browsers, but we recommend Google Chrome and Edge.
What devices are best to attend Online M&G?
Laptop and desktop computers are the best devices to enable you to have the best experience. Some users have reported that they had successfully used tablets or IPads, we highly recommend that you test this first before using it on the day of the event. Victory loves preparation :)
What third-party video conferencing platforms will we be using?
We have tested Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Webex Teams - they worked extremely well! (Microsoft Teams is the trickiest for students to join but they can do it via the browser option, it may take up to 1 minute to complete the steps.) Employers will host the meetings in their chosen video conference system. Students will encounter different platforms, but they will all be accessible via web URL.
How do I get technical support during the event?
We have integrated Intercom into our event platform, that’s the blue chat bubble in the bottom right of the screen when you’re logged in. If you can’t see it, please check your browser settings to ensure popups aren’t blocked. If you have trouble during Online events please send us a message through the blue chat bubble. Our team will be on standby to answer all inquiries during the events.
Student FAQs
How do I access the Online M&G?
You can access the event platform through the event page of the Meet & Greet events that you are registered for.
You can also access it through the detailed email instructions that we send to you before the event.
You must be available for a full-time summer internship to attend M&G, with a live profile on the SoT web platform! You must also be registered for the event!
Remember, we ALSO ask that if you attend M&G you remain available until SoT Offers Day. Now’s a good time to re-read our terms & conditions ;-)
How many rooms can I queue for?
You can join up to 7 rooms at any given time, this is to give a fair chance for all students to be able to have that chat with their prospective employers.
You can search by organisation name and room name. Room names will usually be the job title.
We encourage you to use your 7 spots for 7 different roles. Some roles may have more than 1 room. Join the shorter queues!
Be strategic, we recommend you stick with your top 5 queues and use the other 2 to “browse”, find shorter queues and have some chats. You will not lose your place in the queues while you’re chatting to other employers.
Please remember that the best way to reach out to those employers is by actually applying to their roles here.
Will there be a notification sound when an employer is ready to chat with me?
Yes, when an employer is ready to chat with you they will send you an invitation to join their room. There will be a “ding” sound to notify you, please ensure that your device speaker is turned on.
How do I remove myself from a queue?
Easy peasy, all you need to do is to click and hold your mouse for 3 seconds and release it on the room’s name that you want to leave.
How do I join the different videoconference rooms?
Follow the instructions that pop up in your browser. Practice before the event if you can.
We recommend you get familiar with Google Meet, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. If you’re not a regular Microsoft Teams user, it is better to join via the browser option rather than trying to download the app.
How long can I chat with an employer?
We recommend 5-7 minutes, this is very short! Preparation is key, please do your research about the companies and the roles that they have. Either you OR the employer can end the call. Don’t be offended if they wrap things up before you’ve finished telling them your life story, they have a lot of students to talk to, so please be concise and considerate of their time!
Don’t forget to research employers! You can do this on the organisation page and you can see their available roles here
If you ask them about what they do, that means you have not done your homework! Please watch this video where our alumni shared their protips from when they attended Meet & Greet.
What if I get to the top of multiple queues at the same time?
Great! You will only be invited into 1 chat at a time. Your position in other queues will “freeze”, and when you’re finished chatting, you’ll go back to your same spot in the other queues.
What if I do not get to talk to employers that I am interested in?
There is a chance that you’ll miss out, as some queues will be long. If you do not have a chance to chat with them then the best way to let them know if you are interested is by applying for their roles! Attending Meet & Greet is not compulsory, employers will review the profiles and CVs for students who applied, so you can still be considered and invited to interview without meeting & greeting.
What is next after Meet & Greet?
Meet & Greet is done and dusted? Now it is time for the employers to select the potential candidates that they want to invite to Speed Interviews (if they are joining) or for further chats. Speed Interviews will be conducted on 21-23 September this year. More information can be found in our Guide to Recruitment Season video.
