Working the Room(s)— Job Search Networking Tips for Professional Conferences Picture this: You’ve come to the American Academy of Neurology’s Annual Meeting, or any other neurology conference, on a mission of sorts. You want to meet up with your colleagues, yes, and of course you want to learn about new developments in neurology. But in the back of your mind, there’s another thought brewing. What if you were to find a great job this week, or at least the lead for one? That’s not unrealistic at all, but it won’t just happen on its own. As Amy Schoch, Senior Manager, Career Services, says, “There are a lot of people in town for the Annual Meeting and there’s a lot of mutual interest. But candidates have to put in some work to make the connection.” As manager of the Academy’s Career Center—and a veteran of nearly two dozen AAN Annual Meetings and conferences—Schoch should know. She has been advising neurology candidates and employers on making job matches since 2001. Following are some of her best tips for jobseeking neurologists and junior members when attending an AAN-hosted event. 10
JOB SEARCH
Three conference networking tips for job seekers 1. Use the AAN Career Center in advance of the conference. By reviewing active job postings, for example, a potential candidate can identify employers of interest and then make arrangements to meet up with someone from that organization during the event, says Schoch. Whether that contact is a hiring manager, a recruiter, or a fellow physician who currently works there, he or she could help the candidate make inroads while also providing information about the institution. To make the connection, Schoch suggests simply sending an email to the contact in the posting asking if they want to set up a meeting during the conference. Does this work? Schoch affirms that it does, sharing this anecdote: “I spoke with someone at the Annual Meeting two years ago and gave him that suggestion. Last year, he came back to the Career Center booth to say that he had followed the advice and had already had an interview at that year’s Annual Meeting. That tip helped him
make the connection that landed him the interview.” Schoch also advises a careful reading of the postings to reveal upcoming openings. “When a recruitment ad makes note of a new center or building,” she says, “you can anticipate that the institution is growing. Even if you’re not ready to start interviewing, arranging to talk with someone from that employer at the conference can give you a leg up on future opportunities.” 2. Visit the main Career Center booth at the Annual Meeting. Job seekers will find several items of interest at the booth. One is the chance to set up your Job Alert, a simple process that directs relevant postings to your inbox based on the criteria you select. For example, if you want to be alerted to stroke opportunities, you can set the Alert to tell you when those positions are posted, saving you the effort of hunting for relevant ads on your own. Another booth feature is the large screen with live scroll of current job openings and QR codes to scan to let you make a fast application for positions that catch your eye. Last but not least,
