First time attending AIHce EXP? You’ll definitely want to participate in the First Timers' Orientation and breakfast, sponsored by DuPont. If you have registered for the PAL program, we suggest you attend with your mentor – after all what are friends for? Our members constantly say how valuable the networking at AIHce EXP is and we want to provide our first-timers every opportunity to make those important connections too.

During this session you will:

• Meet other first-time conference attendees

• Learn how to effectively use the mobile app and the Final Program as your conference guides

• Discover the best networking events that can lead to meeting valuable contacts

• Learn about on-site resources and what they can do for you

• Hear tips on how to maximize your overall conference experience

Do you ever get nervous meeting new people? So do we!

Here are some tips to help you break the ice:

• Smile! This may seem obvious but sometimes when people are really nervous or have a lot going on in our mind it shows on their face. That’s why you must always remember to smile. A smile is the first interaction you have when meeting someone new- even before a handshake.

• Ask open-ended questions.  When meeting someone for the first time you want to be engaging, whether your discussion is personal or career focused, a question that can’t be answered with a “yes” or “no” is key to keeping a conversation going. If you are shy or don’t know what to ask start with something generic, such as: “Sally, could you tell me more about what you do? I would love to know more about it.”

• Have your 30 second “elevator” speech ready. This means preparing ahead of time two to three sentences sharing something about yourself and what you do for a living. For example, if someone asked you, “John, tell me about yourself. Where do you work?” You could reply with something like, “Well I live in Phoenix, Arizona with my wife and two children. We moved there about two years ago when I got an offer with Any Corporation as a Title Manager and I really like it because I like saving the world.”

• Know the career question you want answered or career steps you need guidance on and which type of professionals can help you. At the beginning of anyone’s career there are always lots of questions on their mind and so many paths they can take. It is helpful to nail down those questions and know who to ask so you can get a better answer from whomever you are talking to.

• When wrapping up a conversation, make sure to get the other person’s business card. You can send them an email at the end of conference saying how nice it was to meet them and begin to foster that networking relationship. Chances are you will see everyone you meet throughout the conference; when you do, say hello and try to sit next to them at lunch or during a presentation.