Getting your player ready...
If you’re lucky enough to attend a conference in your field, make the most of it. Professional conferences can expose you to new ideas and skills, reinforce your passion for your work and boost your career.
“Every conference is a career-development tool if you choose to use it that way,” says Sheila Murray Bethel, PhD, CEO of the Bethel Institute in Walnut Creek, California. Here are some tips on how to make a conference worthwhile: Define your expectations. “Ask yourself, ‘What do I expect to get out of this meeting?'” Bethel says. “You’ll get out of it what you put into it.” Think about your primary intention for going and what you hope to gain from the conference, suggests Julie Fuimano, MBA, RN, a Philadelphia-area personal and career coach with Nurturing Your Success. For example, your goal could be networking or learning a new clinical skill that will help you do your job better or advance in your career. Examine the offerings. Once you’ve defined your expectations, you can pore over conference brochures and schedules with real purpose, well in advance of your trip. If you’re overwhelmed by the glut of sessions, narrow your options by asking people who have attended the same conference before which sessions they thought were the most advantageous, Bethel says. Fuimano suggests researching keynote speakers and unfamiliar topics online to get an idea of whether to make them a priority at the conference. Pack right. Bring notepads, pens and business cards to exchange with people you meet and to stick in vendors’ bowls for a chance to win prizes.an individual.” Bethel recommends taking one session for nothing but “fun!” Keep a record. If your employer sent you to the conference, you may be expected to present what you’ve learned to your unit upon your return. Take organized notes to make preparing such a presentation easier, Fuimano says.
