conference

POINTS TO REMEMBER
☑ Research the speakers beforehand.
☑ Send LinkedIn connection requests to key people you would like to meet at the conference.
KEY
☑ Shift your mindset by focusing on how networking is good for your career.
☑ When choosing sessions to attend, consider whether you’ll learn something new or meet someone new.
☑ Take the initiative to create networking situations where you feel comfortable.
☑ Participate – you’ll get back, what you put in.
☑ Take notes and be prepared to give a paper/presentation on your key findings when you return to work.
☑ Play the long game, you have to attend a few conferences before you have established a good cohort of colleagues.
Everyone feels a bit lost at their first conference, that’s normal.
☒ Spend all of your time with coworkers you see every day.
☒ Burn out: give yourself time to rest and rejuvenate.
☒ Try to be someone you’re not by putting on a false persona, which is stressful and tiring.
☒ Be afraid to ask ‘dumb’ questions. Remember, the only ‘dumb’ question is the one you don’t ask.
☒ Be a ‘taker’; be prepared to give and you will receive more in return.
☒ Forget to follow up with the contacts you have made and stay in touch and keep the connection alive.