by Isabel Hurtado de Mendoza
Not much longer now for the 2015 ITI Conference! Excited, nervous? I bet you are. With tens of talks and workshops on offer, many vendors to talk to and hundreds of attendees to network with, conferences can be pretty stressful. Here are some tips to make it a more enjoyable and productive experience.
1. Network beforehand – If you are an active user of social media and/or belong to an ITI network, it’s highly probable that you’ve had virtual contact with several conference attendees before, and this is your chance to meet them in the flesh. Use your network forum or the conference Twitter hashtag (#ITIConf15) to check who’ll be there and start interacting with them now! If you’re especially interested in meeting somebody, arrange this in advance instead of leaving it to chance. Suggest some private downtime with them over breakfast or evening drinks. This tip is especially helpful if you’re the stereotypical hermit translator and are not fond of socialising with people you don’t know.
2. Prepare your business cards – Even in this digital age, when we’re all interconnected online and the most comprehensive information is at our fingertips, business cards are still a powerful marketing aid. Not only do they add a personal touch, but they are also an immediate physical reminder of your business.If you don’t have yours, you can still order them online. Just remember to make them memorable, short and sweet – perhaps with a QR code or a link to your About.me page.
3. Make a plan – The programme for this year’s conference is absolutely packed with talks, masterclasses, technical demonstrations, fringe events and a lot more. You’ll be tempted to do Tai chi at 7.30, attend all keynote speeches, talks and panels you can from 9:00 to 17:00, go for a run at 17:30 and even pack in a tweetup and a visit to an exhibitor in one day. But, if you want to make the most of the event, you’ll need to prioritise. Study the programme in advance, highlight only the talks that could be more beneficial to you at this point in your career and remember to schedule some breaks for relaxing over a cuppa with colleagues.
4. Pack wisely – Even though ITI conferences are famous for their relaxed atmosphere, there’s always the chance that you might meet a potential employer or partner there. Wear smart clothes that you feel confident in. Conference rooms can be quite chilly due to air conditioning, but it might also be the case that the room is packed and you’ll feel hot, so wear several layers. Days will be long, so don’t forget to choose comfy shoes!
5. Carry the basics – Even if you’re staying at the same hotel where the conference will take place, it’s quite probable that you’ll be out of your room for many hours. Whatever you take with you, you’ll have to carry for long, so take only your bare necessities: a notebook and pen or your phone/tablet – depending on your preferred style of recording information – and a back-up portable battery if you prefer the latter; some snacks; any medicine you might need; and a practical bag that allows easy access to it all.
6. Take good notes – Most of us are guilty of the same sin – attending conferences, taking loads of notes and never re-reading them when we get back home. If you would like to avoid making the same mistake again, you could divide your notes into interesting facts versus actionable ideas. Particularly if you are a compulsive note-taker, you should either highlight important information or write it in a different part of your notebook. These are things you actually want to implement or address when you get back to the office: downloading a piece of software, contacting an agency, developing an idea or following up with someone. Don’t let these actions get lost among your endless scribbles.
7. Don’t multi-task – During the conference, try and forget about “life outside”. There’s so much to learn and benefit from while you’re there, that it will be far too much if you also try to keep up with your normal life. If you absolutely can’t live without your morning workout or catching up with work email, schedule these tasks into specific slots – perhaps first thing in the morning or in the evening – rather than letting them seep into an already busy day. The conference only lasts three days, so make the most out of it and enjoy yourself!
Isabel Hurtado de Mendoza MITI, BA (Hons), MSc, DPSI, is a freelance translator working from English into Spanish. She specialises in art, audiovisual translation, tourism, education and humanitarian issues. She is the Editor of the Scottish Network newsletter.
Twitter: @Lingotrans
Website: http://www.lingotrans.co.uk
This post is also published on the ITI’s blog The Pillar Box
