Networking (part I): conferences

Networking Part 1: Conferences There is no doubt that as a young professional, your networks and your confidence in networking is essential to future growth. One of the easiest ways to grow both areas is through conferences.

As a young professional, I wrote a longer piece on the advantageous of conference hopping, I have that attached in the feature article space. Check it out for tips, hints and how to maximise the experience. I started conference hopping during my university years and first three years of my career. It provided opportunities to grow my personal confidence, get exposure to some awesome speakers and gain contacts. As I became more confident, I took on opportunities to actually be part of the organisation of conferences… great way to get uninterrupted access to the speakers and exposure (either by being a moderator, introductory speaker or organiser at the front desk). The best thing about conferences is that under 30 year olds tend to be in short supply and there are usually discounts, freebies and greater opportunities being the new young and fresh face. The younger you are, the more in demand you are, provided that you have the personality to speak up and engage.

My tips and hints include: • Why befriending the loners can be a good thing; • Speaking up, when to do it and how to do it; • Staying close by to the conference is a must; • Know the etiquette and the lingo; • Prep work is required; and of course, • How to stand out for all the right reasons. Conferences are the easy person’s guide to networking. Choose the right conference and, like a good scout/girl guide: be prepared!