I just came back from speaking at two separate conferences. The attendance level was high and each offered plenty of time for getting to know the attendees. As with most conversations, we inevitably discussed the job market. It was surprising to me the number of people that mentioned that they were aware of the articles I had written on career and professional development. In fact a couple of people congratulated me on a job well done. However, even more interesting was the number of people who picked my brain about potential job opportunities. Yes, they were there to find out what the conference had to offer. But attendees also had second motive: to hob knob with the leading companies in the industry. Consider this opportunity. You could be in front of the brand, marketing and product managers of the leading companies with quality face time in a non stressful environment. Not only does a conference venue allow you to showcase your expertise by asking intelligent well thought out questions of the presenters but you can sit with the company of your choice at breakfast, lunch or dinner. At these two events, the atmosphere was very informal and the "players" worked the room. Its important for you to understand that many of these people are virtually unreachable in any other site. So plan your opportunity accordingly. I'm not suggesting out right asking about employment. I'm talking about building a bond with the conference attendees so that they know who you are and will either respond to your call or email when you contact them at a later date. Don't forget to fill out the evaluation forms too. Many times these are used either for testimonials (see your name in print) or to offer suggestions for other speakers and programs at other events you should be attending. The conference managers are important too. These people are a wealth of information and invaluable as a resource for names and contact info. If you are lucky enough to be a presenter and you do a good job, they will often be happy to make a personal introduction in return. A word of warning though. They are there to run the event so don't be a pest and monopolize their time. The bottom line is that job opportunities abound. It is a matter of making the right connections. Conferences are an ideal setting to connect so plan your trips accordingly. Look to see to whom the conference is targeted. If that's who you are trying to reach, then plan to be there too. |
