Getting Ready for a Conference
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (121740)
Gainesville, Florida
August 28, 2016 9:28am CST
I am packing this morning to head to Orlando, Florida for a week-long conference for my professional association. I am on the board of directors for the association, as well as on the conference committee. I will also be presenting three sessions next week, so I am going to be extremely busy while in Orlando.
A lot of people look at conferences as a time to get away from work and relax and party the entire time. I'm not going to say we don't have fun while at the conference, but in my case it will a busy and productive week.
Have you ever been to conferences for your work? Have you ever presented or spoke about a topic? Do you use conferences as an opportunity to "let loose?"
12 people like this
11 responses
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
29 Aug 16
When I worked in the insurance industry, I did have to attend many conferences. I never spoke at any but I did get a lot of work done as well as have some fun in the evenings with my colleagues. Sometimes you need to mix a little pleasure with business.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Aug 16
i agree with you! Work hard throughout the day, and let loose at night. Besides, it's those evening "social" activities where you get the most networking done!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Aug 16
@CRK109 It was over drinks tonight at the bar that I struck a deal with a vendor to come to my city and run a sports program for me, and pay ME for the privilege of being allowed to run the program. Now that is my kind of deal...they do the work for me, and pay me for allowing them access to our fields! It's a win-win, and I'm sure my boss will be elated to hear about this new partnership!
And when I say they pay me, I don't mean they pay me personally. They will pay my department! lol
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14556)
• United States
30 Aug 16
@moffittjc oh absolutely! It really is a great time to find people who share your values and goals and then networking becomes part of the fun, too. Networking does work much better when there is a little fun thrown in!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
5 Sep 16
That is true! A lot of conferences are like that. But I work for the government, so we are constantly under the watchful eye of the public, so our conferences aren't quite like the ones you hear about on the news!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Sep 16
@RubyHawk We are just more subdued in our "fun" times at the conference. It's more of a laid-back, relax type of fun than the full-on heavy partying!
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
6 Sep 16
@moffittjc Oh, I see, yours is work and only work.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28851)
• Philippines
28 Aug 16
It's good opportunity to learn and share what you know plus all the e fun and freebies that goes with it is bonus.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Aug 16
It's hard work, but it is fun! And I do come back with lots of freebies afterward!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Aug 16
@louievill Thanks! I do this every year, so it gets easier and easier to do every year!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Aug 16
This particular conference I am at now, I go to every year, since I sit on the executive board. There are a few other conferences I will go to from time to time, but this one is my main hoorah!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
5 Sep 16
@just4him I had a little fun. Not too much, though.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317315)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
5 Sep 16
@moffittjc I hope you had fun at the conference and it wasn't all work.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Aug 16
It's a great way to network and get your name known out in the business community. In addition to presenting, I always make sure to join boards and committees, which helps keep my name and face fresh in everyone's minds. That way, if I ever needed to look for a new job, I would have lots of people that would hire me in a heartbeat!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Aug 16
@122037 You're expanding your network here on myLot! Networking comes in many forms!
1 person likes this
@122037 (284)
• Vancouver, British Columbia
29 Aug 16
@moffittjc Good point. I need to learn from you to expand my network
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Aug 16
They're a lot of fun, with a lot of education mixed in. Luckily, my employer pays all my expenses to attend for the entire week, including conference registration, hotel, food and travel expenses.
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
30 Aug 16
I have and it usually is as much work as it is fun. Try to have at least some fun. I have never presented.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Aug 16
I had a little time tonight to unwind and relax, but I kept it very low-key, since I have to be up early tomorrow.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Aug 16
I love this particular conference, because it is at the end of the summer, and it symbolically symbolizes that I survived another stressful summer at work (summer is my busiest time of the year). So, in the case of this conference, it's my "break" from work to refresh and recharge myself after a long summer.
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
28 Aug 16
I have never presented, but I did go to conferences for my work. The nicest one was in Monterey. In our down time, we were able to see the aquarium and really enjoy the area. Mainly what we learned is that we wanted a computer system our county wasn't willing to pay for, lol.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Aug 16
I go through that every year at our conference. We find something that we just gotta have, and then get back to the office after the conference and realize we have no way to pay for it!
One of the nice things about this conference is that it is in Orlando every year, which means opportunities to visit all the theme parks whenever we have some down time!
@moffittjc (121740)
• Gainesville, Florida
30 Aug 16
There is very little free time, but I did squeeze in a little party time tonight after all our events were over at 9pm. Not too much fun though, because I have to be up early in the morning!
