5 Tips to Maximize Postconference Networking

In April, I attended the 2019 EDUCAUSE Enterprise Summit in Long Beach, California, and it was an amazing experience. The conference was a great mixture of professionals from institutional research (IR), information technology (IT), student services, business/finance, and other areas of higher education. Being an IR professional, I was excited about the mixture of attendees as most of the conferences I attend are IR-focused.

At the conference, I did the usual conference networking ritual. You know, the one where you ping from person to person collecting business cards and hoping to make some meaningful connections somewhere in between. Being in IT and IR, I'm usually slow to warm up, which makes networking feel a bit awkward. However, knowing the value of networking as a tool for collaborations and career progression, onward I went.

When the conference ended, I left with a stack of business cards in my bag, PowerPoint decks properly stowed away, and my usual follow-up plan in place. I was going to reach out to the contacts I'd met in order to get copies of their presentations or research. I'd also planned to schedule some conversations and lunch meetings (where available) to talk about collaborating on future projects. I was excited!

Fast forward a month or so after the conference, and I was cleaning out my conference bag. In addition to some wonderful resources that I had intended to get back to, I found what we all find. You guessed it—all the business cards from people I'd met at the conference and hoped to connect with in order to get more information, form collaborations, or stay in touch.

I hadn't followed the networking rules, and quite frankly it was because work took over, and I didn't have time. Determined to establish relationships before people's memories of me got too far from their minds, I made a plan and set out to conquer the world—or at least make a meaningful connection or two. Here are my tips.

1. Select three to five people to follow up with and follow up. You don't have to connect with everyone who gave you a business card or everyone you talked to. However, you should figure out which connections were the most meaningful. Who stood out to you? Who did you have multiple conversations with? Who has research or professional interests similar to yours?
2. Make your best attempt to follow up within 30 days of the conference. The longer you wait, the further from the conference—and the person's mind—you get. Opportunities may have come and gone, so connect quickly.
3. Find conference connections on Research Gate or on professional social media platforms such as LinkedIn. Connect with them online, so you see what they are doing professionally (and vice versa). Share what you've been doing since the conference. If you presented at the conference, make sure to add the presentation to your LinkedIn profile or post about it on social media.
4. In establishing meaningful connections, see if your interests match with theirs, and ask about the other conferences they are interested in. You might find that you are attending the same conferences or have attended the same conferences. This may be an opportunity to collaborate.
5. Reconnect in some way throughout the year. Send a "Hello" email, or send them an article or website you think they'd find interesting. If you feel comfortable, just pick up the phone and call. In reconnecting, ask your new connections about their work and what they're passionate about. Engage about them and take the focus off of you. You'll want to take note of any interesting points, so that you can discuss them in future follow ups.

I followed tips one through four and have set reminders on my calendar to reconnect in a few months. If a natural opportunity to connect comes sooner, then I'll reach out. Either way, onward I shall go. Postconference networking isn't intended to be a chore but rather an opportunity to grow your network.

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Chris Hubbard Jackson is Director of Institutional Research at St. Charles Community College.