Networking at industry awards ceremonies
We’ve all received those calls and e-mails extending chipper invitations – with interview opportunities! – to an awards ceremony to honor the Midwest Mortician of the Year or the new inductees to a sales representatives’ billion-dollar club.
“Thanks so much, but I expect to be ‘on deadline’ that night,” you murmur, grateful for the vague and incontestable excuse.
Another rubber chicken breast successfully dodged.
But aside from the mediocre menus, these celebratory lunches, dinners and galas might actually serve up plenty of fodder. While lacking the tawdry glamour of Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony, industry group, trade and philanthropic dinners and presentations can be decent networking opportunities and sometimes the only chance to get face time with otherwise elusive executives.
Definitely attend if the honoree is an industry leader you’ve been trying to interview or whose expertise you’d like to tap for occasional commentary. Listening to the speeches also will help you tune in to the issues and accomplishments that are valued – politically, at least – within a particular specialty, profession or industry.
Caveat: I wouldn’t make any promises about coverage when accepting these invitations; if the event is briefworthy without your presence, it’s probably not worth much more even if you sacrifice an evening to be there. But the people who organize the awards will appreciate your interest, the honoree will notice that you are taking the time to better understand her industry and the others at your table may prove to be worthwhile sources, as well.
How do you ferret out these awards? Keep an eye on trade journals and business publications, for starters.
I wasn’t able to find a comprehensive directory online but there may well be one somewhere; call a seasoned business librarian at a local college or university to double-check.
Otherwise, use some creativity with Google. Try keywords like “industry award nominations 2010” or “trade award nominations 2010” in combination with various companies, sectors or groups and you might be surprised at what turns up. Add the name of your state to narrow it down further. And don’t forget about public sector and philanthropic awards as well.
The good news is: We appear to be in the thick of nomination season; I found a plethora of calls for applications and nominations using the above search techniques. Mark your tickler files now. And perhaps writing a little roundup of nominees on a slow day wouldn’t be a bad way to get your toe in the door with several executives at once.
Planning ahead: Here’s a look at major news and economic releases expected next week:
March 9: Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, which includes job openings by industry by region.
March 10: Census Bureau wholesale inventories and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Bureau of Labor Statistics state and metro area data on employment, hours and earnings,
March 11: Initial jobless claims
March 12: Census Bureau retail sales, Business inventories and the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index
