HIMSS26 - A Networking Goldmine: Creating Confident Connections for Emerging Leaders

HIMSS26 is not just another mega-conference; it’s a 30,000-person networking lab where every hallway, session, and exhibit can move your career forward, if you know how. Learn what networking is and isn’t; bust myths and discover ways to engage confidently so you leave with real opportunities and connections.

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate relationship-based networking from transactional behaviors like “card collecting” or asking “Do you have a job?” so you focus on conversations that support long-term career growth.
• Describe simple strategies to prioritize your time and target the right people, sessions, and exhibit areas so HIMSS26 feels intentional rather than overwhelming.
• Explain why strong answers to “Tell me about yourself” and “What are you looking for?” enable successful networking at HIMSS26 and outline key ingredients you can use to craft your own after the session.
• Apply practical approaches to networking at a busy conference so you can approach new people with more confidence and less awkwardness.
• Recognize common networking myths and reframe them so you can approach HIMSS26 with less pressure, clearer expectations, and a more realistic view of what success looks like.

Speaker

• Bob Ditcher, President, Phoenix Rising Career Services, Foxboro, MA

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