Would you pay a $1000+ to network?

[hustlebunny]

Hi all! 

 

I am thinking of attending a conference for professionals in my field. It will run over 3 days and costs just over $2000. I just got a quote for half the price (yay?). I am currently underemployed and the networking opportunities could help me land my dream job! 

 

I have never attended a conference before, those who have, may you please chime in with your experiences on networking and whether it helped or not? Or anyone with thoughts on this...do not want to drop $1K for nothing, thanks!  

[CFBrown]

Networking, and the events that are designed to facilitate them, are really what you make of them. Kinda like the old adage(s): You get what you pay for...or, "It takes money to make money."

[spunky]

$1000 just to network? sounds pricey.... :/

 

have you googled around just to see whether people have opinions about this conference?

[hustlebunny]

Spunky, 

 

I checked, its the biggest professional organization in my field and it will be like an all star weekend for the people making strides in the field or practice heads from companies like IBM,SAP 

 

I fear that most people will just shake my hand, pat my back and then it ends there...that would be okay if I was working full time! However...

[eeee1923]

If you do end up going - try stopping by the smaller workshops and attending some of the social hour events. People tend to be more relaxed during those events and more receptive to having longer conversations.

[CFBrown]

Spunky, 

 

I checked, its the biggest professional organization in my field and it will be like an all star weekend for the people making strides in the field or practice heads from companies like IBM,SAP 

 

I fear that most people will just shake my hand, pat my back and then it ends there...that would be okay if I was working full time! However...

 

I finished a book last year about how to effectly network. It's a very helpful and insightful read no matter what your ethnicity is. It's by George Fraser and you can find it here http://www.amazon.com/Success-Runs-Our-Race-Networking/dp/0060578718/ref=sr_1_3/182-4997102-5236211?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426858712&sr=1-3&keywords=george+fraser

 

Networking really is about building relationships. So, if you go into this event thinking "what can these people do for me?" then you're likely going to come away disappointed. Instead, focus on ways you can have a mutually beneficial relationship with the people you're trying to connect with.

[TakeruK]

It might depend on field, but I've found that networking is very difficult at an academic/research conference if you are not also presenting something (a poster or a talk). Unless you have extra money lying around, I would definitely not pay $1000 to go to a 3 day conference purely for the purpose of networking. At least, not without a specific goal in mind, it will likely go as you fear--a handshake, some small talk and not much else.

 

To be clear, a big reason to attend and present at academic conferences is to network (maybe even the #1 reason). But in your case, I don't think it's the best use of $1000, for the reasons above. I think it might be better to use that money for small, more intimate networking sessions. For example, some professional fields have local groups meant for young people to get together (sometimes with senior people too) and network over breakfast/coffee/lunch/dinner. Your $1000 invested in these types of opportunities might go a lot further.

[alvinjordan88]

Today the job in networking is very much. So i think i will pay this amount for networking.

[spectastic]

sounds like a scam.

[hustlebunny]

sounds like a scam.

 

It's wasn't, it was hosted by the biggest association in my field. I have been crying tears of blood seeing the pictures and discussions online    

[mountaingal]

Conferences can be very good for networking. If you're outgoing and comfortable introducing yourself to a large number of strangers one after the other then you will probably get a lot of bang for your buck. 

Here are some general networking tips: 

 

Go to events, visit places you'd like to work in person, etc. Hand out and collect a lot of business cards (if you don't have any, at least get some cheap but professional looking cards with your contact info on it) and FOLLOW UP on all of these conversations. 

Let everyone know you're looking for a job, ask them questions about what they do, and ask them to introduce you to other people. 

 

Big events aren't really my thing but my husband is in a sales/consulting type job and that's how he gets clients at conferences and festivals and that sort of thing. He also finds cool people and meets with them. Do that too. 

 

Basically, let everyone you're at least somewhat friends with or family know you're job searching and what kind of job you're looking for. You never know what might come up just from 2nd degree connections. 

Edited April 21, 2015 by mountaingal

[CFBrown]

It's wasn't, it was hosted by the biggest association in my field. I have been crying tears of blood seeing the pictures and discussions online    

 

Guess you know to catch it next year!

[GradSchoolTruther]

The discussions and pictures may be great, but does that help you land a job?

[.letmeinplz//]

The discussions and pictures may be great, but does that help you land a job?

I seriously hope when a company, I don't know lets use a crazy research group like Skunk Works, looks at applicants they don't go "well this guy is really strong in relevant research, smart, etc etc but we didn't meet him at a conference and trade business cards! So we have to go with the person of less qualifications because he networked harder."

 

I would be glad to not land that job if that is a major consideration in hiring.

[TakeruK]

I seriously hope when a company, I don't know lets use a crazy research group like Skunk Works, looks at applicants they don't go "well this guy is really strong in relevant research, smart, etc etc but we didn't meet him at a conference and trade business cards! So we have to go with the person of less qualifications because he networked harder."

 

I would be glad to not land that job if that is a major consideration in hiring.

 

To play devil's advocate / point out a useful factoid, sometimes not meeting the right person at a conference could cost you a job opportunity. Although again, for this particular case, I normally would not advise dropping $1000 to attend an academic conference when you don't have anything to present.

 

However, from talking to people do make hiring decisions, what often happens is that when people put up job solicitations, they do so with a potential candidate in mind. They tell me that the process of getting a job posting approved by HR, then interviewing the requisite number of short listed candidates, and all of the approvals is a lot of work and cost a lot of time. They don't want to go through all that and find that all 10 shortlisted people are not the right match. Plus, they will get flack from HR if they repeatedly put up the same job search. 

 

So, "they" tell me that the way a lot of positions are filled is through networking. They search out people and wait until they find a candidate that they would consider hiring. Once they know that someone that they would actually want to hire exists, then they put up the job posting and go through the whole official process. During this process, they might find someone even more qualified, which is a win for them. But at the very least, they know their efforts will yield at least one viable candidate. 

 

While not networking won't mean that someone less qualified than you will get the job, not networking might mean that there is a job out there that is perfect for you but will not get posted unless the company that wants you actually meets you and decides you're a viable candidate!!