By Dr. Randall Cuthbert
Associate Professor, Emergency & Disaster Management at American Public University
Online learning offers an incredible opportunity to meet and get to know professionals from your field from across the country and around the world. It would take more than my ten fingers to count the number of folks that have attained jobs because of connections they’ve made in my classes.
But that is not enough. No matter how much a peer or potential supervisor learns about you in your online class, they still don’t know you. Not really.
So that brings me to the value of attending professional conferences in your field. When you attend a conference, you come face-to-face with those who do the work you do or want to be doing.
At conferences, you meet those with the same passion for your work that you feel. And you meet people who know people who know people—and being face to face with people with connections is ten times better than connecting in class and 1000 times better than sending a resume with your qualifications. It’s definitely worth the investment.
I personally will attend the annual convention of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) in the near future. If you attend, you’ll meet lots of people who want to sell you things—including myself, who will want to sell you on the value of the education offered at American Public University.
You will also meet lots of people who have been doing the work in the field that you want to enter or at the advanced level you want to achieve—and they will all be happy to offer their advice and assistance in helping you attain what you desire. It’s a win-win for everyone.
[Related: Making the Most of Social Media at a Conference]
Ask your instructors and peers what conferences they attend in your field of study and find a way to attend them yourself. You’ll find they provide breakthrough moments in the achievement of your goals.
My next few posts will be written from the IAEM conference. In them, I will provide stories of valued connections that are made right in front of me—live, on the ground, in real time. I know they’ll happen. They have at every conference I’ve attended.
Onward and upward!
About the Author: Dr. Randall Cuthbert is an Associate Professor of Emergency & Disaster Management. He welcomes comments and suggestions for topics to explore in this forum. He can be reached at randall.cuthbert@mycampus.apus.edu
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