Because of the unprecedented nature of the current situation, many students have been forced to forego their original summer plans in lieu of a social distancing-based alternative. It’s no surprise that due to COVID-19, conferences, networking events, and other professional development opportunities have been cancelled. Fortunately, it’s 2020, and technology is better than ever!
Though some may have been cancelled altogether, a lot of conferences and other professional events have just been moved to a virtual format. Conferences are usually a large expense, requiring payments for airfare, hotels, and paying for the event itself. In light of the virtual experience, many would-be conference attendees are seeing low (or no) cost tickets being made available. For a student or department that may have had to front hundreds of dollars to attend, that’s a serious win!
Find out what’s out there to attend, especially if it would be beneficial to your career development (and especially, ESPECIALLY if it’s free)! You’ll find that professionals in the workforce have been extremely resilient, and are still willing to offer up expertise that they would have presented to an attentive audience! Networking and making meaningful connections at events like these is especially important in the current recruiting process. By making the most of your time, you can increase your professional prospects post-quarantine!
Here are a few virtual opportunities:
