Making the Most of Conference Attendance
by Sue Hoppin
We may be deep in the throes of summer, but fall will be here before you know it and that means it's time to turn our attention to professional development and conferences. Once you've picked the events you'll be attending this year, that's just part of the equation. Now you need to figure out how to get the most out of the opportunity. Here's a simple checklist of things you can do to make the most of your conference attendance.
Before the conference:
- Keep things affordable by taking advantage of early bird pricing and finding a roommate to help defray the cost of attendance.
- Determine your goals - what do you want to get out of the conference, who do you want to meet?
- Prep your conference schedule - if there are multiple tracks, decide which fits your professional goals best.
- Pack plenty of business cards and any leave behind materials you think you'll need (an example of this would be product samples or media kits for potential sponsors/advertisers).
- Work on your elevator speech.
- If there is an online networking group set up for your conference, take advantage of the opportunity to engage with other attendees and speakers ahead of the event.
- Plan your wardrobe and make sure you've packed appropriately for all of the events.
- Update your social media profiles ahead of time because you're going to pick up many new connections during the event.
During the conference:
- Dress in layers - conference rooms run notoriously too hot or too cold.
- Set up time to sit down for conversations with other attendees
- Interact with presenters - ask good questions where appropriate, but keep it germane to the larger audience. If you have a question to ask that's just appropriate to your situation, take it offline.
- Use meal times as networking opportunities and sit with different people each time.
- Attend the social events - these are just as important as the official conference sessions. You'll find that most of the networking and business gets done during these events.
- Stay in the moment. Check in on work and home, but try to maximize your time with the other attendees, speakers and sessions. Remember, you're in work and business development mode. Compartmentalize your other responsibilities and try to follow up at the end of every conference day so that once you get home, your work is already done.
- When you're collecting business cards, try to write a little something about the person on the back of the card to make it easier to follow up.
- Fill out the critique forms to help organizers improve on the event. If you enjoyed the conference, make sure you share compliments as well as critiques.
After the conference:
- Send thank you notes to organizers and presenters.
- Follow up with your new contacts.
- Share the information with people who couldn't attend.
Remember, professional development conferences are a fantastic opportunity to keep up on your industry trends, learn new skills and make new contacts, but you have to be proactive in order to make the most of your time and efforts.
When planning your conferences for the year, mark your calendar for the 5th Annual NMSN Military Spouse Career Summit taking place November 13 and 14th in Springfield, VA. The Annual Military Spouse Career Summit is the signature event of the National Military Spouse Network (NMSN). It is the can't miss event for any military spouse who is serious about their career. Whether you're interested in entrepreneurship, federal employment, corporate employment or volunteering, we've gathered the resources you need to explore the portable career options available. It's a great forum for military spouse professionals, businesses, academics and media to share expertise and craft innovative solutions on both balancing a viable career with the military lifestyle and laying the foundation for a successful career post military life.
Network with other military spouses building their careers and businesses and representatives from military spouse friendly employers, experts in the field and others. If you've got the drive, we've got the: connections, experts, advice, fantastic food and networking opportunities. Join us for the fifth Annual Military Spouse Career Summit!
Sue Hoppin is the founder and president of the National Military Spouse Network, a consultant on military family issues and the co-author of, "A Family's Guide to the Military for Dummies". Before founding the NMSN, Sue served as the first deputy director for spouse outreach for a military affiliated non-profit with a 375,000+ membership. She is a recognized subject matter expert on military spouse and family issues and has spoken to audiences nationwide ranging from installation career events to leadership training sessions and national conferences. She holds a bachelor's degree in international studies from the University of Denver and a master's degree in international relations from the University of Oklahoma.
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