In addition to making last-minute updates to your talk 👀

Update your LinkedIn profile before you go!

Make it easy for new connections to find and follow your work.

Make sure everything is current. Double-check your:

• Photo

• Publications list

• Title and job duties

• Collaborators and achievements

This will make it easy to tell folks about the awesome things you’ve been doing, the work you’ll be presenting, and what conferences you will be attending. Show them how

awesome you are.

Bonus points: Save your phone battery and time by making a lock screen with a QR code that links to your LI profile.

Build Career Momentum Through Sponsorship

Give visibility to others and invite support for yourself.

Sponsorship is mentioning others' names in rooms where they might not be. It's a step up from mentoring because you are putting your good name behind someone else. This can look like talking about great work someone did, recommending them for a job or project, or even just an introduction.

Are some of your colleagues job searching? Find out what they’re interested in so you can mention their name or grab an application link if you hear about something that would work for them.

Ask a colleague who is further in their career if they’ll keep you in mind in case they hear of anything interesting. Or if they’ll introduce you to someone you admire!

We’re all in this together, and highlighting others' work makes you look good too.

Plan and keep track of your sponsorship activities using our Sponsorship Tracking Spreadsheet!

Plan One Fun Off-Site Activity for Balance

Recharge your energy so you can show up at your best.

This could be a meal, visiting a tourist attraction, or going for a walk somewhere new. Whatever fills your bucket.

I’m personally a big fan of getting a massage mid-conference. Having something off-site planned is nice to look forward to, a chance to recharge, and something interesting to talk about when you’re networking.

One year our kids asked me to take their stuffed animal Carrot Bunny with me to a conference, in case I got lonely (cue adorable swoon!). I took Carrot Bunny everywhere that year - on walks, to coffee shops, and even to the City Museum in St. Louis. I sent the kids pictures of his adventures every day. It's still one of my favorite conference memories.

Conference season is busy, busy, busy, but with a little intentionality you can get a lot more out of it!