{"id":71081,"date":"2014-05-09T08:00:03","date_gmt":"2014-05-09T13:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=71081"},"modified":"2014-05-07T18:27:38","modified_gmt":"2014-05-07T23:27:38","slug":"a-primer-for-conference-volunteers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=71081","title":{"rendered":"A Primer For Conference Volunteers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Amanda Brooks, Head Editor,<\/span>\u00a0INALJ British Columbia<\/a><\/p>\n

A Primer For Conference Volunteers<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"Amanda<\/a>The INALJ community\u2019s recent discussions about the ALA conference and Lisa Huntsha\u2019s How\u00a0Volunteering May Actually Be Hurting Your Job Hunt<\/a> were added incentives to write my planned\u00a0recommendation for volunteering for conferences. As Lisa pointed out, you should not volunteer in\u00a0a role which replaces a paid professional position which is true of conferences which are of limited\u00a0duration but still need lots of hands-on help to make sure everything goes smoothly. As a concrete perk,\u00a0the organizers typically waive or discount the pricey conference fees for volunteers.<\/p>\n

For those daunted by networking, volunteering provides a ready way to meet and engage people. While\u00a0others\u2019 experiences may vary, I have always found that the majority of conference attendees are very\u00a0appreciative of volunteers and are eager to talk with them during social activities or outside of the\u00a0volunteer shifts.<\/p>\n

Once you have a few conferences under your belt, there are opportunities to volunteer throughout\u00a0the conference planning stages. These tasks can range from organizing special events, coordinating\u00a0and directing volunteers, to editing the conference program and programs. These responsibilities can\u00a0become examples of your ability to supervise others or manage projects in the context of a cover letter\u00a0or interview.<\/p>\n

With these advantages in mind, here are some tips to get the most out of your conference volunteer\u00a0experience.<\/p>\n

Preparing to Volunteer<\/strong><\/p>\n

Library conferences such as the ALA annual conference are a no-brainer option for information\u00a0professionals but keep an open mind and eyes for other opportunities. The Krafty Librarian’s blog\u00a0Librarians Need to Stop Going to Library Conferences<\/a> points out that information professionals should\u00a0participate more in conferences hosted for the users of our services to increase our visibility and identify\u00a0our users\u2019 unmet needs. For example, conferences run by the local bar or business associations would\u00a0be great options if you are interested in corporate or legal information work. Be creative! Some of\u00a0my favorite volunteering weekends were at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival<\/a> hosted at the Toronto\u00a0Reference Library.<\/p>\n

Above all, don\u2019t be afraid to ask or offer your help when the conference does not publically promote\u00a0volunteer opportunities. The worst the organizers can do is say no and you will stand out all the more if\u00a0they do need help.<\/p>\n

While Volunteering<\/strong><\/p>\n

Knowing where to be flexible and where to draw firm lines ais essential to not being overwhelmed\u00a0by the demands of conference planning and running. When you are working on committees, expect\u00a0lots of debate; manage this by creating a timeline for when specific decisions must occur. Budgeting is\u00a0an area where you need to break down into prioritized categories as soon as possible. Whether they\u00a0are presenters, suppliers or attendees, people outside the conference planning teams will always add\u00a0uncertainty into the proceedings so keeping as much structure into the process elsewhere reduces the\u00a0number of late nights or last minute headaches.<\/p>\n

Your own flexibility mostly comes into play during the conference itself but also when you are deciding\u00a0what you will be doing before or during the conference. While a willingness to take on new things is a\u00a0clich\u00e9, it is applicable within this context. From my experience, many volunteers ask not to have any\u00a0tech responsibilities but the demands in these positions is usually very limited and it allows you to\u00a0stay in rooms while talks are happening. Thoroughly learning the conference schedule prepares you\u00a0to answer questions and to move to other areas or roles within the conference if your particular task\u00a0becomes unnecessary.<\/p>\n

Volunteering should not overwhelm your own priorities or well-being. Long before the conference,\u00a0provide the volunteer coordinator\/scheduler with your availability, and let them known if you have any\u00a0limitations on what you can do. Of course, changes to plans are guaranteed and flexibility is expected.<\/p>\n

Ask what facilities are available to the volunteers. Even if there is a secured room to leave items, I\u00a0still recommend bring as few personal items as possible. The following items, however, are extremely\u00a0useful:<\/p>\n

\u2022 A phone – volunteer coordinators love being able to text or call their volunteers to check\u00a0in or to pass along new information rather than running around everywhere.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Comfortable shoes and clothes which have lots of pockets and layers which you can\u00a0adjust to suit different temperatures.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Small bottle of water and some easy-to-eat snacks – food and drink may be provided in\u00a0certain rooms but it is good to have something on hand.<\/p>\n

Post \u2013Conference Wind-down<\/strong><\/p>\n

Relax and celebrate! You are probably going to achy, hungry and tired so make sure you have a good\u00a0meal and set time aside to sleep. Over the next few days, sit down to think over all the things you\u00a0accomplished before and during the conference. Add an entry about your accomplishments to your\u00a0resume or another record. This will make it easy to recall specific examples when you need applicable\u00a0examples about specific skills or experiences. Hopefully there were enough positive things that will\u00a0make you look for and forward to many later conference volunteering opportunities in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amanda Brooks, Head Editor,\u00a0INALJ British Columbia A Primer For Conference Volunteers The INALJ community\u2019s recent discussions about the ALA conference and Lisa Huntsha\u2019s How\u00a0Volunteering May Actually Be Hurting Your Job Hunt were added incentives to write my planned\u00a0recommendation for volunteering for conferences. As Lisa pointed out, you should not volunteer in\u00a0a role which replaces a…<\/p>\n

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