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In a world where we’re bombarded with email, it’s disproportionately effective to connect with people face to face. Conferences, if you choose them wisely, can be one of the best ways to accelerate this process, since you can meet large numbers of people in just a few days.
In fact, author Tim Ferriss describes attending the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in 2007 as being the “tipping point” for his best-selling book The 4-Hour Workweek because he was able to meet so many bloggers who later promoted it.
Here are five strategies you can use to identify the best conferences for you to attend this year and to make time for them on your schedule.
First, it’s important to understand where you are in your career. When you’re just starting out (in the work world or in a new career), it’s important to overindex on networking and meeting new people. As you gain seniority, more opportunities will come to you, and you can become more selective about the events you attend.
But in the early days you never know which opportunities will pan out, so it’s useful to err on the side of saying yes — to conferences, workshops, and networking events — more often....
And how to make the most of them.