Employment Opportunities in the Heat Treat Industry & Heat Treat Exhibitions
- Set Clear Goals. Before you step into the tradeshow, define what you hope to achieve. Are you looking for potential job openings, new hires, or general business connections? Having clear goals will help you navigate the event efficiently. Keep your objectives focused on learning and relationship-building rather than directly seeking job opportunities, which can help you avoid raising suspicions.
- Optimize Your Online Presence. Ensure your LinkedIn profile and other professional online profiles are updated and polished before the tradeshow. This way, when you make new connections, they can easily find and review your credentials. Position yourself as a knowledgeable industry expert rather than overtly job-hunting. Highlighting your recent accomplishments, skills, and interests relevant to the tradeshow’s focus is a good way to garner attention before, during, and after the event.
- Engage in Meaningful Conversations. When networking, focus on engaging in genuine conversations rather than pitching yourself directly. Ask questions about the other person’s experiences, challenges, and insights related to the industry. By showing interest in their work and opinions, you build rapport and position yourself as a thoughtful professional. Subtly steer conversations towards your interests and strengths to naturally highlight your qualifications.
- Leverage Industry Trends. Participate in discussions about current industry trends and challenges (consolidation of smaller commercial heat treats, clean energy requirements, furnace technology upgrades are a few noteworthy topics that jump to mind for heat treating right now…). Demonstrating your knowledge about emerging news items and how they impact the industry can position you as a valuable resource. This approach allows you to showcase your expertise without overtly signaling that you’re seeking new opportunities.
- Attend Seminars and Panels. Tradeshows often feature seminars and panel discussions (FNA certainly does!). Attend these sessions to gain insights and meet speakers or panelists who are leaders in the field. Engage with them during Q&A sessions or in informal settings afterward. This strategy helps you build connections based on shared interests and expertise rather than directly seeking job leads.
- Utilize Informal Networking Opportunities. During breaks, social events, or networking mixers, take advantage of less formal settings to strike up conversations. These environments are conducive to building relationships and can provide a more relaxed platform for discussing professional interests.
- Exchange Contact Information Carefully. When exchanging contact information, be strategic. Use a professional but non-intrusive approach. For example, offer your business card and suggest connecting on LinkedIn. If asked about your current employment, focus on the exciting projects you’re working on rather than discussing potential career changes.
- Follow Up Thoughtfully. After the tradeshow, follow up with the connections you made by sending personalized messages or LinkedIn requests. Reiterate something specific from your conversation to strengthen the connection. Use this opportunity to share relevant content or insights related to your discussions, reinforcing your expertise and interest in the field.
- Monitor Industry Job Boards. If you’re exploring job opportunities, keep an eye on industry job boards (https://www.ispards.com/wp/careers/ is a great place to start) and company websites. Use tools like job alerts to stay informed about potential openings without actively advertising your job search. Pro Tip for Managers: if you’re hiring, keep an eye on recently updated LinkedIn profiles for clues as to who might be looking for a career change.
- Maintain Professionalism. Throughout the tradeshow and in all follow-up interactions, maintain a high level of professionalism. Ensure that your actions and communications reflect positively on your current role and employer. This approach minimizes the risk of raising concerns or drawing unwanted attention.
By employing these strategies, you can effectively network and explore new opportunities while attending a tradeshow, all without tipping off your current employer or anyone else who you don’t want to alert. The key is to approach networking with a focus on building genuine relationships and demonstrating your expertise, rather than explicitly seeking new positions.
Bonus Tip #11: Engaging the help of a professional recruiter is another great way to ensure anonymity! ISP will be at FNA in October, so feel free to come introduce yourself to Josh, Jessica, or Jim or just slip us your business card with a “wink and a nod” and we’ll be glad to help!
Josh Hale has collaborated with companies to identify, engage, and hire top performers as a professional “headhunter” where he’s focused exclusively on the heat treat industry as part of International Search Partners since acquiring the firm in 2015. He works closely with Jessica Maier to support the practice, and, together, they’ve helped dozens of companies and hundreds of candidates find the match within the industry, including roles for engineering, sales, quality, metallurgy, management, and more. For additional information email [email protected] or call 619-465-9621