10 Best Duck Hunting Pictures

Best Duck Hunting Pictures in 2023

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Making the Most of Your Convention Experience

Conventions can be a great place for professional development, networking, and even job hunting. Here's how to make the most out of your convention experience.

Registering for the right convention

You may get dozens of e-mails and brochures every year from various conventions around the country wanting your money and attendance. The challenge is to decide which are closely suited to your professional goals and are the best use of your time and budget. Talk to your colleagues who have attended this convention before and ask them if it was money and time well spent. Not if it was "good" or if they had a "dynamic" speaker. These of course are important, but you can hear dynamic speakers on the internet, a video or the TV any time you like, what is important is whether the convention as a whole benefitted them. Another aspect is networking, will there be other professionals attending this convention with whom you have been trying to meet? If so, the convention may be well worth your time and money.

If there is a convention you would like to attend because the breakout sessions are of interest to you, but perhaps the location and timing does not fit your budget and schedule, check to see if they publish proceedings and audio recordings of their speakers. Of course you miss out on the networking and all the free stuff from the vendors, but you can still benefit in the way of professional development. Also, if you have a desire to speak at this convention in the future, if is helpful to get a feel of the type, experience level and delivery styles of presenters who work that convention.

Research and Planning

Once you have selected a convention to attend, check out the convention's website regularly to see who is attending. Many conventions pre-publish, at least in electronic format, a list of the vendors who are participating. Pick out which of the vendors are of most interest to you so that you can target those particular vendors first, and wander later. This is especially important with very large conventions where the vendors take up several acres of floor space. Don't forget to select which break-out sessions you want to attend, and plan your vendor time around those sessions.

Generally speaking, it is most convenient to use the hotel provided by the convention. Most conventions hold a block of rooms for their attendees at special pricing. Having a hotel room in the same building as the convention, or at least within a short walk, will make it easier to take a quick break, drop of materials that you have collected, or have a quiet place that you can go and conduct your business on the phone if needed. If you do choose to go your own way and pick a less expensive hotel, consider commuting availability between your hotel and the convention hotel. If you plan to drive to the convention each day, find out in advance where the available parking facilities are located. Parking at conventions can be expensive, and may not be very close to the events. Sometimes the extra cost of staying at the convention's preferred lodging is worth the headache of staying elsewhere.

Follow up with colleagues who are in the locale of the convention, and those whom you know plan to attend. Set time with them to meet for lunch, dinner, or a quick break in-between sessions. You can get a lot accomplished in a short period of time with a little creativity and pre-planning. Be sure to follow up with the people you plan to meet about a week before the convention.

When planning what to pack, take a look at past convention photos. What does the dress code appear to be? If it is difficult to tell, err on the conservative side. It is not difficult to shift from business to casual by simply taking off a blazer and tie. If you are on a job hunt, dress the way you would for an interview and don't forget your business cards and resumes. Remember that many hotels and conference centers tend to fluctuate between hot and cold, so prepare for both extremes. Wherever and whatever the event, don't forget to pack comfortable shoes, as you are likely to be doing a lot of walking.

At the Convention

When you arrive at the facility, get your bearings, and don't forget to adjust your watch and phone to the local time. Obtain the facility map and convention guide to assist in locating your breakout sessions and vendors. Identify the restrooms, water fountains, vending areas, and emergency exits. When attending breakout sessions, try to arrive as soon as possible after the doors are open so you can select the best seat, located where you can clearly hear and see the speaker. If you know that you will need to leave early, perhaps because of an unavoidable phone call or meeting that encroaches on the session time, sit near the back on the aisle so you will disturb the rest of the attendees as little as possible. Don't forget to turn off or silence your cell phone out of respect for the speaker and the other attendees. Please do not answer the phone and have a conversation during the session, leave the room and move to an area where you will not disturb the speakers or attendees.

Some conventions make electronic copies of the presentations available for free to attendees after the convention. If this is the case, avoid taking a printed handout for every session, this will save paper and give you fewer items to carry around with you. Some speakers will e-mail their notes or additional materials to attendees upon request. Request a business card and give the speaker one of yours in return. .

When visiting vendors, prioritize and seek out the vendors whom you identified before coming to the convention. Ask for brochures, promotional materials, etc. to be mailed or e-mailed to you, so you don't have to carry pounds of printed material around with you all day. If you find there is a long line of people at a particular vendor, try to set aside time when they are less busy, and they can spend some quality time with you. If giving your business card, write on the back a note of what you need from them. Take the business card of the person with whom you spoke and write a note on the back of their business card some brief notes to help you remember what you discussed with their representative.

Tools

Be sure to bring plenty of business cards, brochures, and even resumes with you to the convention. Some conventions have electronic badges that the vendors can scan and gather your contact information with a minimum of paper waste. Bring at least one pen and pencil and a note-pad, though you will likely collect quite a few more of these items as you wander the vendor area. A camera may be useful if you find something at a vendor's booth that you want to make special note of, though be sure to ask permission first. A lanyard from which to hang your name badge is also helpful, it allows you to wear your badge without poking holes into your clothing or having to move it whenever you take off or put on your jacket.

Don't forget your Convention Survival Kit!

• Bottle of Water (you can refill it throughout the day at a water fountain)
• Snacks (if permitted by the facility) M M;'s, granola, and nuts are good choices.
• Pain Killers such as aspirin or ibuprofen
• Antihistamines
• At least one day's worth of your prescription medication (if applicable)
• A Few Assorted Band-Aids
• Blister bandage or mole-skin in the event you develop a hot spot or blister
• Lip Ointment
• Moisturizer
• Antibacterial Hand Cleaner
• Tissue
• Stain Stick or Wipes
• Small Sewing Kit

After the Convention

Take the business cards that you collected and organize them in some way. One handy means of organizing is to photocopy or scan about six or so at a time and put the photocopies in a binder or the scanned images in an electronic file. Make notes off to the side of the photocopied business cards what you need to remember about that individual. Make your follow-up calls and e-mails within a week of the convention, while everything is still fresh in your mind and theirs. Identify what the benefits were to you, and whether it was worth your investment of time and finances to attend. If so, start your research phase over again. You should know by the end of this convention the dates and locations of the next convention, so you can start planning your calendar and budget for next year.