Awesome. You’ve just scored a budget to attend the biggest and best conference that your industry has to offer. You’ve planned your attendance to listen to some of the brightest minds in your field, participate in workshops and even attend a few cocktail receptions while you’re there.

But are you working it?

No, I mean really working it. Have you scheduled time to walk the exhibit hall floor and check out some of the new tools and technologies being offered to people like you and organizations like yours?

Have you checked the attendee list to see if there’s anyone you should connect - or reconnect - with?

Are you considering a career move? If so, have you thought about where you’d like to go next? Will anyone from that company be at the conference?

Too often, professionals attend conferences as if it were a big party - or at the very least, a few days away from the office.

If you’re doing it right, you’ll have a full calendar while you’re there.

I’m not saying you should neglect healthy meals or sleep or even a trip to the hotel fitness center. But, you should take advantage of the concentration of people and intensive togetherness that a major conference provides before you head back to the office.

You’ll thank yourself for it later.