Convention Countdown: 17 Days - 5 Networking Tips for Emerging Leaders

When I was in college, I did very little strategic networking. If you had asked me what networking looked like, I wouldn't have had a clue. Looking back, the sorority had been like a secret networking ninja, and planted little tidbits while interacting in my social circle.

When meeting sisters at Delta Phi Epsilon's International Convention 2014 ( #disneydeepher ), you will be expanding your network to a national, even global level. You may not be doing it on purpose, I sure didn't know that's what I was doing when I was in school. My hope for every woman attending convention, it to leave Disneyworld with a broader outlook on the possibilities being in our sorority brings to them.

To maximize your networking, here are a few things to consider before getting on the plane or in the car bound for Florida.

Update your LinkedIn profile.
It acts as a virtual resume in a social media body. Using the convention app, Bizzabo, your LinkedIn profile will automatically be connected to the other women using the app. If they want to learn more about you, they will find you on LinkedIn through this app. You don't want them thinking you are still in college if you graduated, or that you work part-time when you now have a full-time job. Little updates here and there will help potential connections get the full picture of who you are. Maybe they are looking for someone just like you to come work for their company. You never know.

Bring business cards. 
If you're not currently employed, that doesn't mean you don't need your own business card. Have some printed, or print them at home, with your name, contact information, and a link to your personal website or LinkedIn account. This makes exchanging information a quick and painless process if you end up with nothing else to say. Hand them your card, and I promise they'll be impressed you thought to bring them.

Rethink your email address. 
Back in 2010, it was probably really cute to have an email like blondiecutie4lyfe @ gmail.com or somethingreallycleverwithnumbersandkisses @ idontknow.com, but its not a really professional way to communicate. Create an email account as simple as your name, with the occasional punctuation if you can't get your first choice.

Body Language.
A gesture is worth a thousand words. Consider how you hold yourself in conversation. Do you tend to look around the room when listening? Are you easily distracted? Remember to listen intently when talking with someone new. This could look like nodding, great posture, and sometimes leaning in to the person speaking to you. This shows your interest in what they are saying, giving them value and purpose to take the time to speak to you.

Smile.
This one goes hand in hand with body language. What does your expression say about you? Do you look uninterested? Do you look like you smell something unpleasing? Smiling makes you look more approachable, open, and welcoming in general. You'll catch more fish in your network with smiling than with stank-face.

Convention Countdown: 18 Days- What to Wear To... The Parks!

Time to relax and let loose! 

Grand Chapter ends at 4pm, and at that point you're released to the WILD. What will you do? For me and my crew, we are heading to the Walt Disney World Parks.

This will involves a costume change, as Grand Chapter is a Business Meeting, and requires Dress to Pin attire. That kind of garb would not mix well with the hot Florida temperatures and hours of walking around.

After Grand Chapter, head to your room and grab something more comfortable thats less form-fitting. Tops that clings tightly to your body will only get sweatier in the sun, and might make you feel uncomfortable.

I do not recommend wearing a skirt if you plan on riding rides or, like me, frantically run around the parks like a little kid and do cartwheels. Shorts are a great option, but watch the length. If your tush is hanging out, leave them at home. This is a family place, for Pete's sake!

Tennis shoes are your best bet for footwear. Sandals, flats, and heels will leave you with blisters or pain in your arches. You have a whole weekend of potentially wearing heels and walking from room to room, so do yourself a favor and invest in some tennies... or make yourself some painted Sorority Sneaks. Click here for a tutorial. Friends will be super jelly of your spirited kicks.

Leave the Michael Kors in the hotel and grab a sporty backpack, cross-body bag, or *gasp* a fanny pack! Bags that fit close to your body are easier to keep up with on rides and in stores. You won't leave it behind when its strapped to your body.

Order a matching sorority lettered shirt or screen printed tee in a bright color to keep track of your group as you navigate the crowds. They make for really great group pictures!

For more information on what to pack, wear, eat, etc.:

Happy Fourth of July!

Convention Countdown: 20 Days - What to Wear To... Friday Break-Out Sessions

If you're smart, you'll plan an outfit that works for all programming on Friday. Keeping in mind that Saturday will be a day where Ritual is involved, today is your best bet to wear bright colors.

I love the cool, yet-summery, jewel tones of the outfit above. Notice she is in layers (the event rooms in hotels are always set at 26 degrees). If you don't dress in warmer layers you might become distracted by your goosebumps, and miss some really important and wise information from There are those awesome nude shoes again, proving you can wear the same shoes more than once over the weekend. It'll save you room in your luggage for all the DPhiE Swag you'll be buying.

I like this dress because it is a very structured, clean design, but highlights her curves and gives her a nice silhouette. NOTE: Her intense stare in the photo, however, is not what I would wear to Convention. It gives a hint of "bitchy resting face" and I don't approve of that for the weekend. 

During these sessions, its important not to check-out or start playing on your phone. The tells the facilitator she (or he) is boring, uninteresting, and her valuable information is not worth your time.  Practice active listening by looking directly at the presenter, nodding, sitting up straight, and taking notes. When taking notes, do so the old fashioned way with pen and paper so you don't look like you are texting.

These presenters are SUPER important to the sorority's headquarters, so treat them with kindness and respect. 

Remember...

Convention Countdown: 21 Days- What to Wear To... The Networking Event

At this event, you will be paired with a Networking Mentor who will serve as your Convention Guide throughout the weekend. These Mentors will also be a resource to you after Convention comes to a close to help you make connections in the "real world" (whatever that is). 

Upon meeting your mentor, you want to make sure to stand out and are memorable. It will help you when contacting them down the road, as they will be meeting around 10 women to act as mentor for that night. A solid, summer colored dress is nice, with either a cardigan or casual blazer is a great look that says, "I'm fun, but I'm also here to work!". A dark colored dress or top is also a good choice, but I recommend wearing a colorful statement necklace to add a pop of color.   

If you're a guest presenter, Forbes Magazine recommends you wear a bright color blocked dress to help identify your silhouette so they can see you at the front of the audience to the back. 

Nude shoes are ALWAYS a good choice in the summer, as they are neutral enough not to stand out, but also give the illusion of your legs being longer than they are. I'll take all the help I can get at 5'3"! 

Convention Countdown: 22 Days- OUR CHAPTER IS 5 STARS!

I just have to brag on my girls for a minute here:

In our organization, there is a fairly new system for reporting called the CAPS Program, or Chapter Assessment Program. Based on your chapter size, you have a certain expectation of attendance, contributions, etc. In addition, there are basic reports on GPA average, Recruitment Statistics, Campus/Community Involvement, and quality of events. A rating between 1-5 stars is assigned to your chapter. You probably have a similar system in place in your sorority. 

After careful reporting on the finest details, your information is sent off to a team of women who evaluate the strength of your chapter operations. The waiting game is long, hard, and maddening for those who submit a year's worth of hard work to be graded. You try to be patient, and then the jury starts trickling in. Chapters start to announce their excitement for their ranking. 

Last year, our chapter received a lower number of stars. I won't go into detail, but there were several areas that needed improvement, and I don't believe we fully understood the forms we filled out. The leadership team agreed they were make reporting a priority, and that they would strive to raise the rating. 

Y'all.... WE RECEIVED 5 STARS! Through the hard work and dedication of our chapter's leadership, and the incredible effort to break the apathy cycle of the general chapter women, Phi Lambda Chapter has reached the top. I could not be more proud of their persistence and creativity this past year. 

Congratulations Phi Lambda Chapter! 

Convention Countdown: 23 Days - What to Wear to... Registration

This is your chance to make a great first impression. Well, okay you'll have a few chances to make your real first impression, but don't discount this opportunity to make an impression on the women running the show. Let's call this a "pre-first impression".

If you're traveling like myself and my fellow Emory Advisors, you'll be rolling out of the car right before registration after an eight hour drive in my passenger uniform: leggings and an oversized Bid Day shirt from years ago.

Though I imagine myself a glamourous movie star, hair blowing in the wind as I ride down I-75 South, in reality I look like my hair has exploded and my lips are dry when I emerge from the car. Do I want to see old friends and meet new sisters looking like that... Absolutely not!

When you arrive at the hotel, check in at the mirror before stepping in the registration line. What usually works for me is a little pink blush, lip gloss, and some whitening mouthwash. Makes me feel like a million bucks. 

Now that you're fresh, take a look at your "uniform". Did you drip ketchup on it in the car from the stop at Chick-fil-a? Thought so... Grab something comfortable but classic to throw on instead of the wrinkled mess you came in as. Check out some registration outfit suggestions below:

A few suggestions for waiting in line. Yes, you will wait in line. No, it's not because the check in process is disorganized. These women have been planning this moment for two years. You'll stand in line because there are a lot of you with a lot of questions that are very specific and very "urgent". Be gracious. Wait patiently in line, grab a buddy and Instagram your arrival.

 When you reach the front of the line, make sure to speak loud and clear enough for the staff member or volunteer to hear your name the first time you say it. It will help speed up the process of check in, and they will thank you for that. They might also notice how confident and kind you were... They remember things like this the whole weekend. 

Once you have your packet, if you have time, sit down with your party and get your bearings. Check out the Convention manual, aquaint yourself with the hotel map of ballrooms and break out session rooms. Knowledge is power. Everyone will get lost on their way to the first set of rooms, and you have the opportunity to set yourself apart by helping sisters find their way. Be HELPFUL!