events

Convention Idea – The career table

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A roundup of other convention ideas is here.

You've gone to many a fannish convention, event, etc.  There's ALWAYS tables of stuff there, from flyers for other conventions, advertisements for service,s and even giveaway/white elephant tables.

So if you're working with a convention why not suggest a career table?

Have a table just for people to put out flyers for colleges, temp agencies, coaches, online training, networking groups, etc.  People are going to look for interesting flyers and opportunities anyway – set up a clearly designated table just for career things.  Tie it into your other career events if you want.

This of course may or may not work depending on the size of your convention, interest, and space.  But properly promoted and maintained, I see it as a viable idea to try – doing it for a few conventions may let it take it off.

– Steven Savage

Throw a Networking Event

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The convention ideas roundup is here.

When conventions focus on career events, its usually panels, workshops and demos.  This is and should be the norm, since these are the things people want and need.  I'd suggest conventions consider one addition to all of this.

A professional networking event.

Take an hour for people interested in going pro and give them a place to talk, exchange cards, and find out more about careers from each other.  INvite people from the professional panels you do run.  Have handouts and documents from recruiters, local businesses, etc.  For that matter, see if a local – or national – job board or service would want to sponsor it (oh, I'd love to see LinkedIN.com sponsor a geek networking event).

I confess it would be challenging – you'd probably need some icebreakers, and it may take a year or two to really reach a good self-perpetuating pace – but I think it's a worthy experiment.  People network at conventions anyway, adding professional networking to the mix would be a good goal to have.

The benefits I see:

  • It's another social event.  In general, I'm all for those.
  • It would let fans connect on a different level than the usually do – one that benefits them professionally.
  • Gathering your "pro panel" speakers would let them network with each other and further talk to and inform attendees.
  • It's a way to involve recruiters and colleges if you invite them as I mentioned previously.
  • Done right, it could be an event that grows and helps promote the convention.
  • It acts as a foundation for future professional events.

Again, this is more a theory of mine – but if anyone wants to try it out I'd be happy to lend some suggestions . . .

– Steven Savage

Convention Ideas: Roundup

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This is a compilation of all the posts done on this blog about adding “fan-to-pro” elements to conventions.  I will be updating this over time.

If you wonder why conventions are a big idea, I did an entire book career events at cons – and the reasons why I did it explain it better than anything!

GENERAL:

SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS:

Convention Types:

  • Comic Cons – Comic cons have a unique foundation – but also are evolving n ways that career-minded fans can take advantage of.

Guests:

Events:

Organization:

Miscellaneous

CONVENTION SPOTLIGHT:

  • Ani-Magic, the Autumn Dream – Making a convention an entire professional-skill-building experience.
  • Anime Saint George – Finding good trades for guests, diversifying professional guests, and keeping people informed on how to break into industries.
  • Anime USA – Leveraging geographic advantages, specific deep focuses, and having a staff with professional ambitions and experiences.
  • Daishocon – Getting speakers that wrote “how to” guides and paying special attention to teaching people how to break into careers.
  • Erie-Anime-Experience – Tying history, guests, and ideas together.
  • Hal-Con – Cultivating diversity on all panels, and working with guests and attendees for unique topics.
  • Iowa Icon – Leverages classic ideas, an intimate setting, and specific focus.
  • Mobicon – Leverage your guests and keep your staff primed to develop good profan events.
  • Odyssey Con – Covers areas of professional writing not everyone thinks of, and “subcontracts” events from other conventions.
  • Queen City Kamikaze – Calling on local talent, local education, and making career-specific events.
  • Templecon – Trying a few things no one else tries – including some contrarian elements!
  • Tigercon – Making guest-sharing deals and adding academic elements.
  • WindyCon – Following in the steps of WorldCon and doing manuscript review for writers.

– Steven Savage