(posted on behalf of @Asif Kanan)
It was my first AOM. I attended every relevant session coupled with networking and social events because, as I was told, the purpose of going to conferences was meeting people and networking. Like any field, academia requires us to meet new people, seek help, extend cooperation, and even be reasonably yet politely critical during presentations, perhaps more so than in many other careers. We are in the industry of ideas, and there is no exchange of ideas without reaching out to strangers.
However, as if being an international student with imposter syndrome wasn’t enough, there I was—standing in the corner of a hall, away from all the people who were literally there to meet and greet. I could barely talk to anyone. Did I feel I didn’t belong there? Was it my imposter syndrome? Was I being shy and afraid of being negatively judged the moment I open my mouth, or was it just pure natural introversion? The answer is all of the above.
I feel better now when it comes to navigating conferences, but if you are new to AOM, the chances are you will feel this social anxiety, introversion, shyness, imposter syndrome, or a mix of them. The sheer number of people and hassle to move between sessions is overwhelming. So, how do you navigate a large academic conference? It is a challenge, but I got your back. Here are my two cents on navigating academic conferences with confidence and style (OK! I agree this was an overstatement, but you know, right).
1. Reach Out in Advance and Set Appointments:
Want to meet someone, get their time, or discuss a project you’re working on? Great! You are already half way there. The next step is to send emails in advance to people you would like to meet. Don’t be shy. They can’t see you (at least now). Calendars at academic conferences fill up quickly, so you would need to be proactive. It is imperative that you have a clear agenda to talk about. Your favorite scholar will surely be very busy. If they agree to give you time, make sure you make it worthwhile and have clear and concise questions ready. Make the most out of this meeting.
2. Use Your Network’s Network
I did it last year when I saw a friend of mine talking to this star professor (Can I name Matthew Wood here? I guess I just did). I asked my friend to introduce me to him. It was a short and sweet meeting during ENT social and it helped me gain some confidence in my research. You might feel that you don’t know many people, and it may be hard to reach out to new people. But the few people you know may know exactly the people you want to meet. Talk to your friends, and they will do the rest for you.
3. Don’t Just Take Emails: Get Selfies.
‘Hi Gerardo, it was very nice meeting you today and discussing your research. I look forward to meeting you again’
You meet people, you exchange emails, and you shoot them emails afterward. But tell me, Gerardo met so many people in these five days. Would he even remember you just by your name and a generic email? Could you make it different? While different people have different ways, selfies is one of them. Ask people for a selfie with you (especially if it is a brief meeting, and chances are they will forget you). When you follow up with a thank-you email, attach the photo so that they can associate a face with your name and email.
4. Include Other People in Your Circle of Conversations:
The chances are, you are not the only one who struggles with starting conversations. If you are ever (successfully) part of a group conversation and find someone standing all alone, invite them in. Open the circle a little so that they can join in. Ask for introductions and ask questions. It is as simple as that.
5. Questions Beyond ‘How Are You? How is It Going? What is New?
So many times, I wasted beautiful short meetings with basic, random questions such as how are you, how is it going, how is life, and so on. Update your arsenal of questions to have more meaningful conversations. What else can you ask beyond these? My favorite one is! Tell me something about yourself that people think about you, but is not true. (You didn’t ask but my answer is that…. “a lot people think I am extrovert, or maybe I was, but I am not”). I am sure you have better questions than mine. Why don’t you share them in comments section then?
We can go on and on, but these five should help you with your academic conferences, especially if you face difficulties during academic conferences. Plus, it is normal and a lot of us face it. Relax, sit tight, and talk to people. It helps. What are your tools that you think can help our readers in navigating academic conferences? Please do not hesitate to share them in comments to help other readers. Also, we are talking about networking! Am I in your network? Feel free to add me on LinkedIn or write to me at kanan_asif@student.uml.edu