By: Josey McBrayer
We often spend a lot of time preparing for the annual SWE conference. Activities such as uploading resumes, finding professional outfits, setting up interviews, and contacting our network to try and arrange a meeting at the conference keep us busy right up to the beginning of the conference.
Once at conference, we get to spend a wonderful week networking, attending enlightening speeches, and just enjoying being in a supportive environment around other smart, inspiring women engineers. However, how much thought do we give to the weeks following the annual conference?
Although this time often receives less attention, it can be paramount to maintaining newly founded relationships and getting the most out of the conference. Here are some suggestions on some good post-conference habits:
Once at conference, we get to spend a wonderful week networking, attending enlightening speeches, and just enjoying being in a supportive environment around other smart, inspiring women engineers. However, how much thought do we give to the weeks following the annual conference?
Although this time often receives less attention, it can be paramount to maintaining newly founded relationships and getting the most out of the conference. Here are some suggestions on some good post-conference habits:
- Follow-up! You hear this all the time, but it really does help. For all of the new contacts you made at the conference, send them a personalized email or invitation through LinkedIn. Failing to do this can result in the loss of future advocates, mentors, and members of your network. You put in the effort during the conference to network, make it worth while by putting in some effort after the conference as well.
- Summarize what you learned. I find it helpful to write out the main things I learned at the conference and how I plan to apply them to my work and life. For example, if you found a particular talk helpful, taking the time to summarize it can make you more likely to actually apply what you learned.
- Take note of what could have been better. This includes what could have been better about the conference itself, but also how you personally could have better taken advantage of your time at the conference. For example, did you fail to make it to all of the talks you wanted to? If so, why? Did you not take advantage of something you should have? Did you make a contact, but fail to get their information? Self-reflection can help you do better in the future.
