Introduction
You’re about to attend your first conference. Congratulations! You’ve worked hard and deserve a pat on the back. But there’s still one thing you need to do before you head out: prepare. There are a few things you can do before you leave, and a few things you can do while you’re there, that will make the whole experience more enjoyable for everyone.
Remember That Most People Are Perfectly Happy To Help
You may be tempted to spend your time at the conference networking with only those who are firmly established within your field, but this could deprive you of some potential career-boosting advice.
Everyone was a beginner at some point, and everyone has needed help at one time or another. No question is stupid; don’t let fear of rejection keep you from asking for assistance. A simple “Hello, I’m [name], and this is my first conference. Can you help me out with a few things?” can go a long way in establishing a good rapport that may come in handy later on in your career.
If The Conference Uses A Platform Like Sched, You Can Use It To ‘Star’ Talks And Find Out More About Speakers
Most conferences use meeting platforms like Sched to organize the agenda, which makes it easy for participants to find out more about speakers and talks. If you want to know more about a speaker or talk before attending, click on their name or talk’s title and read their bio! The platform usually also provides links to the speaker’s Twitter account and/or LinkedIn profile.
Attend Your Talk Before Your Talk
At the conference venue, arrive early to make sure that everything is working and to ask staff to help you with any last-minute problems. Test your flash drive on the computer in the room where you will present, check out the light and sound equipment, and test out your presentation in advance. Don’t forget things like getting comfortable with the remote or asking for a pointer if you need one.
If possible, see someone else present before your talk–ideally a less famous person who uses similar technology. This can help alert you to potential issues (e.g., be careful if the microphone has an off-switch). You can also use this chance to determine if audience members can easily view your slides from their seats.
Draft A Conference Introduction
Once you have a handle on your elevator pitch and your research, it’s time to put it all together into an introduction. Don’t worry—it doesn’t have to be long. The following is an example of what I might say at a conference:
“Hi, my name is Jane Doe, and I am a postdoctoral researcher working in Dr. John Smith’s lab at the University of XYZ. My research area is ABC science, specifically XYZ aspect of ABC science. My main research project involves [brief description]. I am attending this conference to meet other researchers in this field and learn more about the latest advances in ABC science. I would also like to contribute through interaction with other scientists by discussing my work and possibly collaborating on new projects.”
Where Can I Get Some Space?
The conference organizers should provide a space for presenters to prepare. If you need to, you can use this space to finish some last-minute slides or a poster, or just gather your thoughts.
However, sometimes the room is not available at all times or not large enough to accommodate everybody who needs it. In that case, you can always ask at the information desk if there are any other spaces available. In some cases, there may be a quiet spot in the library of the university hosting the conference or a local café that would let you work on your presentation there.
If you find yourself in a conference room at a conference, and you spend some time there preparing your talk, keep in mind that spending too much time setting up may mean missing out on networking opportunities with other participants. However, it’s important not to stress yourself out by arriving unprepared!
Grab Some Business Cards
Business cards are a great way to remember names and contact details when you meet new people. You should therefore have business cards ready for the conference. Make sure that you use a professional email address in your business cards. If you don’t have one, I suggest you create one for this purpose (e.g., firstname.lastname@domain).
Make sure that the design on the card is simple and professional and not overly decorated; stick to black and white if possible, unless you are a graphic designer or artist (in which case I encourage some creativity). Don’t over-stuff your card with information – just include your name, title, affiliation/project and contact details (e-mail/website).
Finally, if the conference is providing free business cards, I recommend using them instead of spending money on your own.
Come Armed With Questions For Post – Talk Discussions And Poster Sessions
You should be prepared for the post-talk discussions and poster sessions by arriving with questions. These questions may pertain to any topic, from bugs in their code to the design of their experiments.
This is a great way to start up conversations. Remember, people at a conference are there to talk about ideas. They want to share their work and learn about yours. By asking questions and engaging with other attendees, you’re showing that you’re interested in being part of the community. And that’s a great first impression!
Make Sure You Have Your Ticket For Each Day Of The Conference
It is crucial that you never lose your conference badge because it not only provides you with entry to the various sessions and events but also acts as a networking tool to identify and meet new people.
Some conferences provide digital tickets while others offer paper tickets, so make sure that you have your ticket (on paper or on your phone) for each day of the conference. Also, some form of photo ID on you at all times (this is often needed for security purposes, but also handy if you lose your badge).
Additionally, it is always a good idea to keep your phone with you in case of emergencies or if you need to contact someone.
Meet As Many People As Possible
You’ll meet a lot of people at the conference, and you may not remember everyone’s name. The simplest solution is to just ask again, but there are a few other rules I suggest helping you make the best of these meetings, and avoid making mistakes.
Don’t be afraid of talking to people! You don’t have to be an extrovert or naturally outgoing: it takes practice. Just relax and know that nobody there will bite your head off for asking a question or commenting on something they like about their work.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions—most scientists love discussing their work and will answer them gladly. You might get some new ideas for your own research, or learn about new techniques or analyses you hadn’t thought of before. It also shows that you are interested in what they have to say and have been paying attention.
It is OK if you forget someone’s name during a conversation – most people will only care if they feel like they are being ignored! If you do realize that you forgot someone’s name, just ask again—you can even make a joke out of it if it makes you feel more comfortable: “I think we met yesterday? But I forgot your name…sorry!”
Don’t agree with everything someone else says without thinking first: good conversations involve hearing both positive AND negative things first-hand, so don’t shy away from giving constructive criticism (e.g., That sounds fascinating in theory, but how can we be sure that this actually happens in reality? Have any experiments been done on this yet? Or could we design our own experiment based on this hypothesis? This is an important question because X…). Most scientists know that there is no such thing as a perfect idea.
Making The Most Out Of a Conference
The first step to getting anything out of a conference is networking. This means meeting new people and making connections. It might be intimidating to go up to someone you don’t know, but it’s a critical opportunity for you and the other person. Also realize that everyone else is probably just as nervous about networking at their first conference as you are at yours—just dive in! When exchanging contact information with someone, make sure to collect multiple items from them: email address, Twitter handle, phone number, etc. Having this will help you stay in touch after the conference ends.
Leverage existing relationships, be they in person or on social media, to figure out who else is going to be attending the conference. This will help you build your network over time by providing you with a foundation of contacts that can be used as a springboard. Furthermore, conferences tend to use specific hashtags, so make sure you are aware of what these are.
Conclusion
Now that you know what to expect and how to prepare, we hope that you’ll be able to make the most of your first conference. Remember, this is a chance to network with other professionals in your field, learn about new research and trends, and meet some of the most influential people in your industry.
We hope you have a blast!