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The annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Conference is a popular conference for business aviation professionals to attend. Photography courtesy of Nicole Lund.
The annual Women in Aviation International Conference is just around the corner. The 2024 conference will be held in Orlando, March 21-24. This conference and other aviation conferences, such as NBAA, OBAP, and NGPA, bring together aviation companies, airlines, pilots, air traffic controllers, students, military aviators and many other aviation personnel. Conferences are a fantastic place to network, job hunt, and attend educational sessions. There are a few important items attendees should bring to an aviation conference. Here is a list of what to pack for such an event.
A suit
Most attendees wear business casual or even suits. Those in the market for a job should wear a suit. Onsite interviews can happen. Therefore, it is best to pack a suit to be safe. Men should wear a tie while women can wear a nice blouse with a suit coat. It is always better to look the part than to be underdressed. What someone is wearing is a first impression and a nice suit will come off as professional.
Business cards
You never know who you may talk to at a conference. It is always best to have business cards on hand in case someone asks for one. You never know where you may run into the connections made at a conference later on in your training or career. These connections could be the reason to be offered a job one day. It is always good to keep up with these connections periodically and check in on them. Writing notes about the person on the back of their business card is a great way to help remember them.
The CAE booth at the Women in Aviation Conference. Photography courtesy of Nicole Lund.
Resumes
Generic resumes highlighting work experience is important to have. Attendees should even specialize some of their resumes for specific companies they are targeting at the conference. If an attendee is not in the hunt for a job, it is still important to have resumes on hand because it could open doors in the future.
A briefcase
A briefcase is a great place to keep resumes, business cards, and logbooks that could be necessary for a company interested in hiring you. There are also many opportunities to take home recruitment swag in the exhibit halls. Putting the items in a briefcase will look professional.
The Women in Aviation Conference is one of the largest industry expos and a fantastic event for aviation professionals and students to learn and network. However, these tips can be used at any aviation conference. The key to success is looking and acting professionally. First impressions are important and so are the connections made through networking at conferences. Take these steps and put your best foot forward at the next aviation conference.