conferences attended: 1
senior academics networked with: 50
future job opportunities gained: who knows?
5pm
Am now home after a long day spent at a conference where I made sure that several experts in my field learned about my research and what a likeable young scholar I am! I have got at least one job in the past because of networking during conference coffee-breaks, so it’s an unpaid job (reviews’ editor of a small journal) but I enjoy it, and it looks great on my CV.
There are two other good things about conferences; first you get lots of experience at public speaking. Yes, the first few times you stand up in front of a room full of people the natural impulse is to run out of the room screaming, but after two or three goes you’ll actually start to find it enjoyable.
Second, you can’t beat conferences for the opportunity to expose your original research to a room full of experts. You’ll get some useful feedback and maybe even the opportunity to publish your paper: another thing that’s great for the CV.
Comment on this diary below:
For example: What’s your best and worst conference experience? Have you got any networking tips that might help the shy jobseeker?
