A Student’s Guide to a Successful Annual Conference Experience

 Western Section Student Affairs Committee - Updated 1/2013

Attending a professional wildlife conference is a great way to share information among peers -- specifically to learn about how wildlife work is done, see who is doing the work, and note who is funding the work. Most professionals cite “networking” as their primary reason for attending. For students, attending an annual conference provides a valuable opportunity to meet peers, interact with prospective employers or graduate research advisors, and hear directly from researchers.  We hope this guide helps you prepare to make the most from your conference attendance!

Pre-conference

Prepare to NETWORK! Print basic business cards with contact information and interests – essential items include Name, school affiliation, course of study with anticipated graduation date, phone number, and e-mail. List broad interests – for instance, “Interests include Game-bird Management” or more specific interests like, “Seeking technician jobs in point-count surveys, vegetation mapping, bat acoustics” or “Looking to begin Graduate School in Fall 2015 in Conservation Ecology or Wildlife Management.” Compile, update or revise your resumé. Include all employment, volunteer, and educational experience. Include a brief cover-letter that states your interests and any post-graduation goals you may have, like graduate school, technician positions, summer internship, etc. Bring 10 or more copies – some to hand to prospective employers or research leaders, and one to use and evaluate in the Resume Workshop.  Bring a digital copy on your laptop or USB.

Make TRAVEL PLANS As Soon As Possible. Book your hotel room early. A credit card may be required when you make a reservation, but you are not charged until check-in. Consider sharing a room with students from your school and bring sleeping bags to make sharing easier – call the hotel and ask about beds, in-room couches, or rollaway beds.  Attending conferences doesn’t have to break the bank. Try to ride-share or carpool to save resources. Join the organization's Social Networking site and check discussion boards for posts on ride & room shares. Through your local chapter, make contact with professionals in your region, or contact your student chapter officers to see if they can connect you with somebody else going to the conference.

PACK Smart - Bring decent “business-casual clothes” which may include your school sweatshirt and jeans, but leave the jeans with holes in the knees (or other places) at home. Remember that this is casual attire but not sloppy or overly revealing. You will potentially meet employers, professors who have graduate school positions, etc. Don’t forget to bring comfortable shoes – you may be on your feet a fair bit during receptions and breaks. Include a small computer-sized bag or portfolio clipboard with your business cards, resume, and room for personal items like a water bottle or coffee mug so that you don’t use paper cups or plastic water bottles during the conference – Reduce your carbon footprint! Bring pens, a highlighter, small notebook, and post-it notes for organizing your conference program booklet and taking notes.

PACK Like a Wildlifer! Bring binoculars and any field guides you’d like; you never know when you will encounter wildlife! Ducks frequent the hotel pool and surrounds; visit a wildlife area on the way to or from the conference site. Save money by bringing a cooler with basic sandwich fixings, snacks and drinks. Bring ziplock bags and make use of the hotel ice machine! The in-room coffee maker will give you unlimited hot water (think instant soup!)

PLAN Your Itinerary - The final program is typically posted to the conference website by the weekend prior to its start date. Visit the conference web site, peruse the program and any announcements. Note specific talks you’d like to attend and/or any speakers/professionals you’d like to meet. Let your advisor(s) know that you’d like to meet these folks.

Upon Arrival

REGISTER! Find the Conference Registration Desk (look for signs inside the hotel or conference center) and pick-up registration materials, if pre-registered or register as soon as you arrive. Double-check your registration to see that all of the events you signed up for are included in your receipt and are indicated on your name badge. Wear your name badge anytime you leave your room! Find a place to sit and read through the program booklet. Highlight and tab or use post-it notes to mark which sessions and events you want to attend. Use a different color highlighter or method to mark the talks/events you do attend for future reference. Realize that you probably can’t “do it all,” but prioritize what talks you want to see; have a few back-up ideas in case of cancellations, and look for “schedule change” sheets at the conference site or in your packet. There is a sample itinerary found on the student page of the conference web site.

Explanation of Events & Why You Should Attend

Concurrent Sessions – these are the scientific presentations, many of which are not yet published research

Welcome Reception – the first chance to meet new associates and catch up with those you already know

Refreshment Breaks - These are held in between sessions but also have basic breakfast items like bagels and fruit set out in the morning, before the sessions begin. And coffee/tea is ALWAYS available

Poster Session – Printed research presentations, with photos and graphs, provides ample time to digest and learn more details, usually have a set time when the author is standing with his or her poster This is also a great first step for getting ideas on how you’d present your own research

Chapter Meetings – Each chapter (regional group of wildlifers) meets to discuss past and future business, including planning upcoming activities for the chapter. Attend in your current area or an area of interest to you, and  meet wildlifers who live and WORK nearby.

Plenary Session – Leaders in our profession presenting around a common theme and may have a panel discussion and question/answer portion

Resume Workshop – Work with an experienced career counselor to learn the basics of drafting oa new or improving an existing resume, C.V. or cover letter

Career Fair – State and Federal agencies, environmental consulting firms and non-profit groups exhibit job opportunities

Student-Professional Lunch – Free to students but you must pre-register to attend. You’ll be paired up with a professional over lunch to discuss their career path, your career questions, and ideas for how to transition from student to professional. Yes, you read that right, FREE FOOD.

Awards Banquet - You may think that the annual banquet is going to be too formal and stuffy – don’t!  We’re biologists, we like to have fun, and we usually have some decent food, drink, music or keynote and a raffle.  Yes, there’s about 20 minutes of necessary formal stuff in the mix, too.

Workshops, Symposia, field trips and other events are sometimes scheduled either before or after the conference (topics vary from year to year).  These can be a great opportunity to learn and meet like-minded people, and the post-conference events usually fit into the student schedule.

Business Meeting - *Honest* disclosure here: Our annual business meeting is pretty boring.  Wait until you’re an old coot before you attend!  Go take a walk or enjoy some down time instead.

Conference Etiquette

Talking to professionals: Don’t wait for a professional to find you. Simply introduce yourself and let them know you liked their talk or research. If they are talking with somebody else, wait until their conversation is finished and then step up. If they don’t immediately engage in conversation, just let them know that you would be interested in working with them in the future if an opportunity arises; then hand them your card. Ask what method is best to contact them after the conference and find out more about any upcoming research or job opportunities they may have.

Feel free to ask any participant at the meeting “where do you work,” “Where’d you go to college” and any number of similar questions.  If you want to find someone who specializes in any specific habitat or species, say, horned lizards, just ask around.

Look at the nametags of other participants – note ribbons or other indicators for Board Members, student mentors, speakers and other categories and those folks are good “ambassadors” for helping you find events or people you’re interested in.

Social events are networking opportunities; enjoy a beer or two if you are of legal drinking age, but keep in mind you will be remembered if you go overboard.

Post-conference

Contacting Professionals - Follow-up with contacts via e-mail; do not text them unless they specifically directed you to do so! Keep your message short and to the point, and compose it as a letter. Spelling errors or texting shorthand will stick out (in a negative way) so keep it simple, yet formal.

Re-state where you met them and why you are interested in their work; and give them your contact information and the best time to contact you.

THANK YOU/Acknowledgement - If you received a travel grant, scholarship, or even just a little heads-up assistance that enabled you to attend the conference, let that group or individual hear about it after your return! Chapters may be interested in hearing from you directly during a board meeting or social, and advisors or school officials who helped you arrange scheduling to attend the conference will want to know that you went, that you enjoyed it (or didn’t), how others might improve the process of attending, and that you’d recommend the experience (or not) to others. It never hurts to send a written thank you note -- a thoughtful e-mail at the very least.

Other Ideas - If you file itemized income-tax returns and your costs of attendance are deductible (check tax regulations) or are filing a claim for a travel grant, keep your receipts and expenses organized in an envelope or binder clip. File your receipts for registration, lodging, transportation costs, and food.