National conferences and societies’ annual meetings, such as the upcoming November 2013 American Society of Criminology’s annual meetings, can be extremely overwhelming. You may be in a brand new city, you may be jetlagged, you may be dealing with airline hassles and lost luggage, not to mention the fact that you are now faced with the daunting task of navigating the meetings and the ambiguous concept of “networking” with colleagues. As a graduate student seeking employment and developing new relationships with colleagues, this can be especially daunting. In this issue of Graduate Student Corner, we offer some tips to assist you with having a successful experience at meetings.
1. Attend panels of interest. It is common for students to “sight-see” or do other things at conferences, but if you really want to get the most out of the conference, you should attend panels on topics that interest you. This is the best way to stay informed on the newest research in your area of interest and a great way to meet new colleagues. Before actually arriving at the meetings, take a few hours to “browse” or “search” the preliminary program and print off (or save to your phone with the new ASC app available in 2013) the panel information and details. This not only helps keep you organized about which panels you would like to attend, but also, this can free up your time at the meetings to do the ever-so-important networking.
2. Participate in at least one roundtable. Most professional meetings have a number of excellent roundtables, so pick at least one that piques your interest. These are small, informal discussions (rather than panel presentations) in which you can ask questions and spur conversation. Because the roundtable experience offers a more conversational and in some cases one-on-one discussion format, this can be a great way to spark up a new connection with those interested in the same topics as you.
3. Don’t be afraid to approach people. One of the biggest mistakes graduate students make is to assume that, because they are lowly grad students, they cannot approach well-known scholars. Not true. Some of the people we place on pedestals are actually very kind and encouraging to graduate students. If you see somebody that you’d like to talk to, do it! Even though it can be intimidating, consider the fact that even the most prestigious professors were once graduate students. They know what it is like to be in your shoes so get up the confidence and talk to people! This is the key to networking, especially at conferences.
4. Take advantage of the hotel bar/restaurant. The bar/restaurant at the conference hotel is often the congregating area for most scholars during the conference. If you have a free hour or two, hanging out in the hotel bar/restaurant is another way to meet other scholars and participate in networking. Even if you sip on soda water all evening, it hotel bar/restaurant offers an opportunity to meet and converse with fellow scholars in an informal setting.
5. Buy tickets – and actually go – to division socials. The division socials are very laid-back, fun events. They are great for catching up with friends you haven’t seen since the last conference, or ask for introductions to new colleagues. Plus they nearly always include food and drinks (usually a cash bar), so at the very least, you get some great food. This year, the ASC Division of Women and Crime Social is on Wednesday, November 20 from 8-9:30pm at Max Lager’s, 320 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia.
Remember that everybody has their own way of navigating the annual meetings but it may take you a few years to figure out what works best for you. Consider our tips and remember that “networking” doesn’t have to be a scary word, many of us have developed (and continue to develop) our most rewarding and productive friendships with colleagues at the annual meetings.
See you at ASC 2013! Janne Gaub and Meredith Worthen