68th Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference
December 9-12 2007

BE THE CHANGE
Manage Locally Conserve Globally™

JUST 4 STUDENTS!

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions when Attending a Professional Conference

• What is the appropriate attire?
• How about my body piercings and tattoos?
• How do I go about meeting the people that might hire me as an employee or take me on as a graduate student?
• OK, now I’ve talked with the person, but I need to move on. How do I gracefully extricate myself? How long should I talk with any one individual?
• How do I leave information about myself with people that I’m either interested in working under as a student or as an employee?
• I don’t know that I want to volunteer at the conference, even if I get a discounted rate (and a free t-shirt). Is it really worth it?
• I’m just a student. Surely I don’t need to attend the business meeting of TWS or AFS?

What is the appropriate attire?

In terms of students, the appropriate attire for a professional conference is business casual. If you happen to be making a poster or oral presentation, you’ll want to “gussie” up for the event, but during the remainder of the conference, you’ll find that people generally wear business casual. Jeans may be acceptable in some instances, but you certainly won’t miss with casual dress pants and a button down blouse or shirt.

How about my body piercings and tattoos?

Tattoos and body piercings have gained incredible popularity in the past 10-15 years. However, at a conference or at any sort of a professional function, the safe bet is to leave your tongue or nose ring at home and conceal rather than emphasize tattoos. Many of the professionals with whom you may work may not be as enamored of the piercings or tattoos as you are and you may cheat yourself out of opportunities by displaying piercings or tattoos.

How do I go about meeting the people that might hire me as an employee or take me on as a graduate student?

Come to the all-day student workshop on Sunday entitled “Beginning your Professional Journey”, where you’ll learn about networking and where many professionals will be helping out for the day. Students will have breaks and lunch with the professionals and will have one on one interaction with them throughout the day.

Attend the Sunday evening reception. Beforehand, you might read over your program and abstracts of presenters whom you would like to meet. Then, seek those people out and introduce yourself and ask them about their work – everyone loves to talk about themselves!

Come to the Monday night job and graduate school fair! Employers and academics from throughout the region will be on hand to talk with students about potential positions either in the workforce or as graduate students. Be sure to bring multiple copies of your resume and business cards to leave with people.

OK, now I’ve talked with the person, but I need to move on. How do I gracefully extricate myself? How long should I talk with any one individual?

Once you’ve attentively listened to the person and have asked them your questions of interest, and are ready to move on, there are several tactics that can be used to close the conversation. For example:

“Dr. White, it was fascinating talking with you. I look forward to your presentation on Tuesday. Thanks for taking the time to tell me about opportunities in your lab. Here’s my card. Will you please contact me if you receive funding for the project that we discussed?”

and with that, you give Dr. White your card, and move on to the next person with whom your wish to speak.

If you don’t necessarily want to follow up with the person in the future, you might use the excuse that you want to refresh your drink, or look at your watch and exclaim that you need to move along to meet with a friend or other acquaintance, etc.

You want to make several connections at the conference, as do the professionals who will be in attendance. A good rule of thumb in terms of time might be as long as it takes to gather the desired information, but probably no longer than about ten minutes, unless you’ve been asked to join the individual for a meal or to be introduced to his or her colleagues.

The key is to remember that being at a conference is a little like being on one “very long” job interview. You must be on your best behavior the entire time. This does not only include the conference venue. These same individuals may be at the restaurant or bar that you and your friends decide to visit on any given evening. The whole time you are at a conference, you are being evaluated as a potential employee or student. You might not want your potential future graduate advisor witness your dance with the bar stool or your karaoke performance.

How do I leave information about myself with people that I’m either interested in working under as a student or as an employee?

It’s not too early to have a business card to distribute at meetings. Here are a couple of pointers regarding business cards. You probably don’t want to be distributing a business card on which you have listed your hotmama@yahoo.com account. If you have a web page listed, be sure that you feel that you are presented in a professional manner on that web page. You are making a “professional” contact, not a personal contact. Do you really want the Chief of the State Wildlife Division to see you snorting beer out your nose? The point is to think beforehand about the information that you’re providing and what the individual will view, should they go to a web page.

I don’t know that I want to volunteer at the conference, even if I get a discounted rate (and a free t-shirt). Is it really worth it?

Actually, especially if you are uncomfortable stepping out and introducing yourself at mixers, you might find that volunteering is a wonderful way to meet professionals and to make a very positive first impression. They’ll notice that you ARE a volunteer and are helping to make the conference a success. You’ll need to gather information from them if you are moderating a session, and by doing so, will start to get to know those professionals. It will be easier to talk with them when you meet them again, either at the current conference or in the future.

I’m just a student. Surely I don’t need to attend the business meeting of TWS or AFS?

There’s no better way to send the signal that you’re serious about your chosen profession than to get involved as a student in your local and/or regional TWS or AFS chapter. Students, actually free help from anyone, is greatly appreciated by professional societies, and it’s a FABULOUS way to meet the professionals with whom you would like to work or learn from. It also gets you on professionals’ radar screen because you have a role in the local or regional chapter.