Angela is in her final term of coding and health information technology classes. She couldn't wait to graduate from the highest regarded HIT program in her state. She plans to take her Registered Health Information Technology exam shortly after graduation. Angela heard how challenging it was to find a job after graduation with no experience. Her best friend, Allison, was already working in the field. Allison gave her the name of a contact at the state Health Information Management Association to see if they needed help at the annual convention next month. Angela called the number and, much to her delight, they could use her help! In return for volunteering, she was allowed free admission to the convention. Angela met a lot of professionals but had difficulty connecting with them due to her nervousness. To make matters worse, most of the people she met were wearing nice business attire and she was not.
How would Angela use this opportunity to network?
1. What should she do before the conference to be prepared?
2. If you were an experienced HIM manager, how might you approach Angela and would you?
3. How could Angela improve the chances of getting noticed at the convention?