Becoming a Professional in Any Field
The Benefits of Networking, Publishing, and Attending Conferences
Sep 25, 2009
Professionals in any industry or field can benefit from networking, publishing, and attending conferences. The benefits are numerous, ranging from finding people to help with job searches as well as making connections for future collaborative projects.
Networking on a Professional Basis
Networking involves exchanging business cards, email addresses, and phone numbers in hopes of future contact. At job fairs, networking brings potential employees, company recruiters, and supervisors together so that job openings can be be filled and unemployed members of a community can have a new job to report to. Resumes are handed out, reviewed, and collected.
That said, this is a similar act common at professional conferences, workshops, and networking events. Many professional organizations in fact host sessions as job fairs specific to a given industry. Companies and industries for biotechnology work, for example, may invite representatives from biotech firms to mix and mingle with those new to the industry, those searching for work, and for those who would like to know options for future employment or promotion potential.
Networking on a professional basis does not stop with job searches and fairs though. It extends into swapping business cards so to increase connections within academic circles, with newly minted degree holders introducing themselves to professors they hope to mentor under. Mentorships are a great byproduct of networking on a professional basis.
Likewise, collaborative projects come from networking at professional events and meetings. Like-minded individuals tend to pick the same workshops to attend. Being in the room waiting for a lecture or presentation to begin or sticking around briefly in the post-presentation mingle is advantageous for those who would like to work on a co-authored publication or presentation for a future professional conference, symposium, or for a journal.
Even if one does not have a current idea for a project or a need for a new job, networking on a professional basis at industry workshops and conferences is worth the effort for expanding horizons. Telling someone about one's thesis or dissertation project both is good practice in public speaking, but also could yield suggestions of books to read, further academic research to do, and even some markets to pitch the idea to for future publication.
Working on Professional Publications
In fact, writers and editors often mingle at socials and conferences to do things like pitch ideas and discuss markets. Young professors on the tenure track often look for ways to quickly build a professional publication portfolio, and conference presentations are a great way to do so as typically, a proceedings report or other collection of materials presented is often put to press after a conference or symposium.
It follows that professional publications are often inspired by things discussed in roundtable discussions and preliminary presentations. The feedback is live and spontaneous, and rich in the knowledge and skill sets of the audience.
Benefits of Attending Professional Conferences
Professional conferences offer the latest pulse on the business and research in a discipline. New technologies, tools, and methodological approaches are often showcased in these professional settings and venues. Many professional conferences offer workshop options which may include certification options, which adds credentials and a sense of professionalism and proactivism about one's career when these certificates and attended conferences are listed on a curriculum vitae or resume.
Lastly, the benefits of attending conferences include the perks of travel. Sometimes, free items or reduced rate books and industry products are given out by the conference sponsors. Additionally, the mood of many conferences lends itself to times of laid back conversation over meals, which in itself, is hard to replicate in the workplace or university.
Attending professional conferences and also joining professional organizations looks great on resumes, but also comes with a slew of benefits. Network opportunities are abound, publication potentials come to the forefront, and markets for sales, for publications, and for future collaboration all occur, regardless of the technical field or discipline the conference focuses upon. Over the years, connections made at workshops can lead to decades' long friendships and cordial relations, and can even lead to the creation of new business ventures, publications, and future presentations. All of this benefits all greatly, especially those wishing to become a professional or a stronger professional.
