Yesterday I blogged about presenting at conferences so today I thought I would follow on from that a little and outline some of the benefits of presenting. So many times people ask me why they should bother, or say that it is too daunting for them to even contemplate. I am hoping that these points will help alleviate some concerns others may have because there is so much to gain from writing and presenting a paper to your peers.
- a great networking opportunity - presenting a paper gives your colleagues and peers an opportunity to seek you out to discuss your paper;
- demonstrates the value to your employer of funding conference attendance;
- there is potential to create opportunities to do further research on a topic of personal interest and then develop a project that can be implemented in the workplace;
- asking someone to co-present with you can further build networks in the workplace;
- Many senior managers attend conferences to see what 'new blood' (or 'existing blood') is out there and this can be an ideal opportunity to attract the attention of potential employers;
- a much higher personal profile (your name will be in conference proceedings, published papers, programs, websites etc);
- if you are presenting on an area of research, presenting a paper on your results so far gives an opportunity to test the waters and receive useful feedback;
- you will be a more skilled communicator - with a public presentation you need to be able to get your point across without being long winded;
- there is, believe it or not, an improved ability to listen. Nothing makes you pay attention more than being asked a question you need to answer on the spot;
- increased opportunities for career advancement;
- improved self esteem;
- and most importantly of all, increased self confidence and self satisfaction.
You can definitely do this!
All these were off the top of my head - are there any I have forgotten?
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