My Experience as a Conference Assistant

Dea Dehari

Thanks to ALSA UK, I had the amazing opportunity of being a conference assistant for IBDE’s Annual Conference. IBDE stands for International Business and Diplomatic Exchange and they are a not-for-profit membership organisation that provide leadership in promoting international trade and investment flows, as well as championing commercial and economic diplomacy.

I had never done anything of the sort before so I threw myself into this opportunity without really knowing the logistics, but I will say, I enjoyed every moment of it. In this blog, I will be taking you along on how the day went and this will also highlight some of the key skills I developed during this experience.

10:00 am

Our day started at 10:00 am, with strict instructions to be at the firm – DLA Piper – the venue for the event, at 10:00 am sharp. As someone who likes to be early to everything, I left my home two hours before (despite it only being an hour journey) in order to allow room for delays, as one can never call the Northern Line reliable. Thankfully, despite the delays, I made it right on time. We then began to make our introductions, and the event coordinators gave us a lovely tour of the rooms we were using. I was convinced I was going to get lost, but thankfully I had my peers around me who helped me navigate my way around. Before the event, we had been issued a timetable for the day that made knowing where I needed to be that much easier.

10:30 am

At 10:30, I began my first task of setting up one of the meeting rooms. My colleague and I had to put glasses and water out on each table while also making sure each attendee had a programme and paper in front of them. This helped me recognise the importance of efficiency, as though it was a simple task, it required us to be on our feet, ensuring that the task was completed quickly and with great attention to detail in order to make sure everyone had the correct materials in front of them.

11:00 am

We then waited in the corridor and greeted guests as they came and sat inside, ready for their meeting. Once the meeting had concluded, we waited for the room to clear and began collecting any materials that had been left behind ensuring that the space was ready to use for the next session. While waiting in the corridors, I still had to make sure that I was conducting myself in a professional manner and that I continued to look professional to all of our guests. This was important as first impressions really do count in professional settings, and as I was also leading people in, it meant that the way I presented myself set the standard for their time at the event. In professional settings, it doesn’t matter where you stand – you should always strive to present yourself in a professional manner.

12:30 pm

At 12:30, it was time for me to head to the check-in desk, where, alongside others, I got to check in numerous guests who had come to attend different meetings. I welcomed everyone with a smile, ticked off their names and assisted in finding their name badges. I then directed them to their appropriate floor and wished them a lovely time. Here, I was really putting my organisation and people skills to the test. It was important that I greeted each guest properly in order to ensure that they felt welcomed and confident in where they were going. There were multiple instances where I wasn’t able to find someone’s name on the list or where finding their name badges took some time, but it was important that I didn’t panic and kept my composure. Our first instinct as humans is to panic when we realise something hasn’t gone as planned, or in my case, when a name isn’t on the list – but all these obstacles can be overcome. Because I kept my composure, we were able to figure out alternatives for those who didn’t have a name badge, like printing one out for them then and there. This made the process efficient despite the momentary hiccups, and we were able to resolve the issues swiftly. This goes to show that there will always be a solution if you take the time to breathe, think strategically and adapt to the situation.

1:30 pm

After an hour of this, it was time for our lunch break, so we grabbed some food and went on a refreshing walk in the sunshine to recharge our batteries.

2:00 pm

Once our lunch break was over, I was needed upstairs to assist in setting up meeting rooms once more. Like the first time, I ensured that all the meeting materials were on the tables for the speakers and that they each had a fresh glass and water in front of them. This time around, we also put out name cards for the speakers. We repeated this process three times before I had to head back to the check-in desk once again.

3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

From 3 pm – 5:30 pm, we continued to efficiently welcome in and see out guests, collecting their name badges in the process. One of the main highlights of the day – though admittedly very embarrassing – was the moment I asked someone that was leaving the firm for their ID badge, and he looked at me with the most puzzled look on his face and responded, “Er, I work here”. I did apologise profusely after that, but I fear that moment will not be forgotten by him or me (and annoyingly, my colleagues who laughed both with me and at me afterwards). This horrendous moment however, does go to show that we are all human at the end of the day and that it is the way that we respond to awkward situations that will either set us back or propel us forward. We then began the clearing-up process. We took in the name badges and sorted them into two groups, one for the attendees and one for those who couldn’t make it to the event. We also finalised the attendee list, ensuring all the correct names had been ticked off, and before we knew it, it was time to regroup and say our final goodbyes before heading home after a long but productive day.

I thoroughly enjoyed being a conference assistant and would 100% recommend going for these opportunities if given the chance. It was such a lovely experience in which I got to delve deep into my organisation and people skills, ensuring tasks were completed on time and with a positive attitude. It allowed me to get an insight into the dealings concerning a professional environment while also getting to meet professionals who are behind such environments. Through this event, I learnt the importance of conducting yourself in a professional yet approachable manner and this is something that will help me in future interviews or networking events as it’s truly become apparent that the way you hold yourself and present yourself is also a key factor in how those around you will perceive you.

Thank you once again ALSA for this wonderful opportunity! I hope you have enjoyed my account of the day and remember – don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone or you’ll never find out what’s out there!