Introduction

Though it might not feel like it for those vital first few weeks in a new job, there is professional life outside the workplace. Although work-based activities and development are interesting and important, you will also find personal and professional value in other professional involvement.

This might be attending conferences or other learning or networking events; or joining a professional organization, and getting involved as a member, volunteer, or committee member. You could find interesting and innovative ways to share your professional thinking and insights with other members of the profession – do you have a passion for haiku? A knack for communicating through cake?

All of this involves learning new skills, and honing your existing ones. While you are doing this, you might start thinking about the future of your career: where you would like to go next, and how you are going to get there. Career planning can seem intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. As an information professional, you will already have most of the skills you need to think about how to develop your career.

In this chapter we will look at all these types of professional involvement and planning. It isn't a prescriptive guide to how to get involved – there are as many ways to get involved in your profession as there are types of information professional, and we hope the case studies in this chapter will inspire you to come up with some of your own.

Conferences

Conferences are a fantastic opportunity for development. They give you opportunities to increase your knowledge formally, through attending sessions, and informally, though sharing ideas with other delegates. They are one of the best networking opportunities you will encounter, and they usually have time set aside specifically for networking, often over meals or drinks. This is a great way to get to know people in a social (yet professional) environment.

Attending conferences can help you improve your listening skills; learn how to network; develop your presentation skills; teach or facilitate workshops; and get writing practice by blogging or writing-up the conference. All of this looks great on your CV, and can be good fun, too.

Conferences are inspiring. It can be rejuvenating to spend time with infectiously enthusiastic fellow professionals, and to hear about the great projects they are running or the innovations they are making.