And Carrie On

Higher education fall conference season is kicking off with another wave of conferences. With people heading all over the country for different conferences, I figured this might be a moment to share a few strategies for networking.

While I function as an extrovert in my daily work, I am an introvert. Networking receptions, making small talk, and mingling are some of the hardest things for me.

Carrie Phillips

Five Conference Tips

Here are a few strategies I’ve used to help get the most out of conferences, despite being an introvert:

Get the attendee list – Get the attendee list in advance and reach out to those you casually know who are also attending. Schedule a meeting for a break, lunch, coffee, happy hour, etc. This will give you the opportunity to have pre-arranged connections and minimize the time you’re on your own.

Say hello – In your sessions, say hello to the people you’re sitting beside. Make sure to ask a few basic questions about where they’re from, what they think of the conference, what’s the best session they’ve been to, etc. This will help you to minimize the awkward time in sessions. If the conversations go well, suggest meeting later for a glass of wine or a coffee.

Practice – I practice my answers to standard questions before the start of the conference. Having answers to challenges about work, how’s work going, and other common questions really helps me feel at ease. Once the nerves wear off, I usually do okay and do a decent job of making the receptions work.

Remember the bar – After a day of events, dinner, and keeping a check on emails, it’s easy to go to your room. I try to find a few minutes to sneak away throughout the day but force myself to go back downstairs after the dinner hour. As an introvert, the hotel bar is way less intimidating. There are usually folks gathering, so it’s easy to jump into a conversation, but I don’t feel like I have to carry the whole conversation.

Follow up – Be sure to grab the business cards of people you connect with and follow up. That could be an email, friend them on LinkedIn, or schedule some time to talk more. If the conference is one you’ll continually be attending, this is a great way to build relationships and set yourself up for even more success next year.

No Pressure

If you’re an introvert, don’t beat yourself up to change. You are who you are. These are just a few strategies to help you adapt.

Additionally, it’s important to give yourself some grace. These strategies take practice, and they won’t be comfortable overnight. Keep making strides, but don’t be too hard on yourself if it isn’t perfect right away.

Are there strategies that have worked for you? If so, please share! As an introvert, I’m always trying to find ways to get more comfortable at conferences.