High-Impact Careers in Practice
- Date
- 2025-04-10
- Location
- In person attendance: EPFL BC 410 | Online attendance: https://epfl.zoom.us/j/61395681842?pwd=YpsqsBMkx8YPytTB2IC6ritKdNbiNC.1, Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- Host
- EA Lausanne
About this event
Careers that make a real difference rarely follow a straight line. High-Impact Careers in Practice is a chance to step back from abstract ideas and look closely at how people actually build work that is useful, ambitious, and grounded in real-world constraints. If you have been asking yourself how to align your skills, values, and career choices more deliberately, this event is designed to help you think with more clarity. About the Event This event brings together a community interested in the practical side of high-impact work. Rather than treating career decisions as purely personal or purely idealistic, the conversation centers on how people make choices in practice: what paths they consider, what tradeoffs they face, and how they move from intention to action. The format is designed to be accessible whether you are just starting to explore these questions or already actively shaping your next step. Because the event offers both in-person attendance at EPFL BC 410 and an online Zoom option, it opens the door to a wider mix of participants and perspectives. Expect a setting that feels thoughtful, social, and useful. This is not just about hearing general advice; it is about engaging with a topic that affects how you spend your time, develop your skills, and contribute in meaningful ways over the long term. What to Expect The evening is structured around discussion, connection, and practical reflection on career impact. You can expect a meetup-style atmosphere where ideas are meant to be examined, not just passively received. Likely elements of the event include: A focused introduction to the theme of high-impact careers in practice Shared perspectives and discussion around how people approach meaningful career decisions Networking and informal conversation with others thinking seriously about impact, community, and professional direction Space to ask questions and compare different ways of evaluating opportunities Because this is tagged as a community, networking, meetup, and social event, the value is not only in the formal content but also in the people in the room. Some attendees may come with concrete plans; others may come with uncertainty and curiosity. Both are useful starting points. You should also expect a conversation that is more grounded than inspirational. The interesting part of a high-impact career is often not the headline idea, but the decisions underneath it: what to learn, what to prioritize, where to contribute, and how to test whether a path is actually right for you. Why Attend If you care about doing work that matters, it helps to discuss career choices in a setting where people take both impact and practicality seriously. This event gives you a place to think beyond generic professional development and ask harder questions about where your effort can do the most good. Attending can help you: Clarify your thinking about what “high impact” means in a career context Pressure-test your assumptions by hearing how others reason through similar decisions Meet people who are also motivated by purpose, contribution, and thoughtful career planning Identify next steps for exploring, changing, or strengthening your current path For students and early-career professionals, this can be especially valuable because career direction often feels both urgent and underdefined at the same time. For more experienced attendees, the event offers a chance to revisit first principles and reconnect with a community that cares about meaningful work. There is also value in simply being in the room with people who are asking better questions. Good career decisions are easier to make when you have language, frameworks, and examples that sharpen your judgment rather than overwhelm it. Practical Details Date and time: Thursday, April 10 at 6:00 PM GMT+2 Attendance options: In person: EPFL BC 410, Lausanne, Switzerland Online: https://epfl.zoom.us/j/61395681842?pwd=YpsqsBMkx8YPytTB2IC6ritKdNbiNC.1 This hybrid format makes it easy to attend in the way that works best for you. If you are local to Lausanne or based at EPFL, the in-person option offers stronger opportunities for spontaneous conversation and networking. If you are joining from elsewhere or prefer remote access, the Zoom link ensures you can still take part in the discussion. If you are considering attending, it helps to come with a few questions in mind: What kind of impact do you want your work to have? What constraints are shaping your choices right now? What options are you actively evaluating? You do not need polished answers. You just need enough curiosity to engage honestly. Whether you arrive with a clear plan or only a vague sense that you want your career to matter more, High-Impact Careers in Practice offers a concrete place to think, connect, and move the conversation forward.
Who should attend
If you want your career decisions to be more intentional, more useful, and more connected to real-world impact, you will likely feel at home here. - You are a **student or researcher at EPFL or in the Lausanne area** who wants to think more seriously about how your education could translate into meaningful work. - You are an **early-career professional** trying to sort through options and want better ways to evaluate roles, sectors, or long-term direction. - You are exploring **purpose-driven or impact-oriented career paths** and want a more practical conversation than broad motivational advice. - You enjoy **thoughtful discussion with curious, ambitious people** and want to meet others who care about contribution, not just credentials. - You are considering a **career shift, internship choice, graduate path, or new project** and would benefit from hearing how others reason through similar decisions. - You cannot attend in person but still want to be part of the exchange through the **online option**, ask questions, and connect with the community. You do not need to have a polished plan or a specific job target. This is a good fit if you are ready to engage seriously with the question of how to build a career that does tangible good.