HIMSS25 – A networking goldmine, but are you ready?

Robert Dichter is the Founder and Career Coach at Phoenix Rising Career Services, and currently serves as a member of the HIMSS Professional Development Committee.

HIMSS25 is happening early March 2025 ... are you ready?  This conference is one of the largest gatherings of healthcare technology professionals in the world.  For those looking to advance their career in healthcare technology, this is the place to be.  Some quick statistics to put the conference in perspective:

1. Over 30,000 attendees expected
2. Almost 1,000 exhibitors
3. Over 600 educational sessions
4. Convention center is over 2 million square feet

People attend HIMSS conferences for a variety of reasons, but one of the primary ones is to network.  Whether you're meeting new people or strengthening existing relationships, networking is key to career growth.  However, networking can feel daunting, especially if you're not comfortable with it.  

This article will address how to best leverage your experience at HIMSS25 for networking purposes, whether you are looking for a new job, looking to advance your career, or simply want to expand your connections.  However, many attend HIMSS conferences without fully understanding how to best take advantage of the opportunity.

Let’s first debunk a few myths about networking:

Common Networking Myths

1. Networking is only for job seekers.
   Networking is valuable at all career stages. It's about building connections to enhance your career, not just finding a job.  These relationships are valuable when you need help or advice and when you want to offer help to others.
2. I already know this person—why network with them?
   People know you in specific contexts (school, prior job, etc.), but may not know your current goals or career focus.  Reacquaint yourself with those you already know and engage them in your current career pursuits.
3. I’m asking my network if they know about open jobs…isn’t that networking?
   Many believe the best way to leverage their network is to ask if they know of a job.  However, the conversation tends to end quickly if the response is “No.”  Instead, create a conversation where you share your expertise and goals and ask for their guidance, including what companies they might recommend and who they might know.
4. Networking is only for extroverts
   Networking is often misconceived as a skill reserved for outgoing, charismatic individuals. It’s rather about forging genuine connections—a strength where introverts tend to shine.
5. Networking means asking for favors
   Many feel that they shouldn’t be asking for help.  Instead, reframe this as an opportunity to get to know others and for them to get to know you.  Effective networking isn’t about taking; it’s about exchanging value and building mutually beneficial relationships.
6. Networking can only occur at professional settings
   Networking can occur anytime with anyone.  Whether you are networking at HIMSS25, a local HIMSS chapter event, at an alumni gathering, talking to a neighbor, meeting people at a party, holiday social, or at your kid’s ballgame, that conversation can turn into a networking opportunity.  You never know what that person knows OR who they know.  Therefore, be open to the opportunity.

Before going into specific details of how to leverage HIMSS25 for networking, here are some practical tips that can be useful, especially when networking at the conference:

10 Practical Networking Tips

1. Respect Time
   Keep interactions brief—5-10 minutes is ideal. Focus on introductions and plan to follow up later.  Remember that everyone is busy at the conference, so act accordingly.
2. Avoid Leading with Job Requests
   The key to networking is building relationships. The conference is an opportunity to reacquaint yourself with existing relationships and create new ones.  Once established, seeking job assistance becomes more natural.
3. Step Outside Your Circle
   Don’t stick with familiar faces—make an effort to meet new people.  There are always new people to meet at HIMSS conferences – create a plan to meet 5 or 10 new people each day – start small and then build momentum.
4. Prepare Conversation Starters
   Have a question or comment ready to spark dialogue.  However, don’t just talk to talk, so identify questions or comments that would be memorable.
5. Engage Meaningfully
   Introduce yourself but ask about others – most people love talking about themselves. Networking is a two-way street.
6. Be Respectful
   Join conversations tactfully and avoid dominating them. Focus on shared interests, including, but not limited to, what you want to get out attending the conference.
7. Craft a Clear Value Proposition
   Be prepared to answer “Tell me about yourself” in under a minute. Focus on your potential value to your next hiring manager, not a history of every job you’ve held.
8. Target Your Efforts
   Know your career goals and focus on connecting with those who align with them. 
9. Prepare and Seek Support
   Feeling nervous? Networking might be a bit outside of your comfort zone, so come prepared and ask those you know for introductions.
10. Think Long-Term
    Networking builds relationships that may help now or in the future. Offer help in return—it strengthens connections.

Now that we have some of the basics covered, you should do some planning and preparation to best take advantage of networking opportunities at HIMSS25.

Preparation before HIMSS25

1. Create a plan based on the reason(s) to attend
   People attend HIMSS conference generally for 3 reasons: networking, education, and seeing the exhibitors.  Before you attend, identify your goals and then create a plan to best accomplish.  Which session(s) to attend, which vendor(s) to visit, and which networking session(s) to attend?  Recognize that you can’t do it all, so prioritize.
   1. Find Sessions
   2. Find Exhibitors
   3. Find Networking events
2. Take control of how others perceive you
   Leverage that value proposition you’ve built as your introduction.  You want to control how others think of you – reciting your current or previous jobs doesn’t showcase how you can make a difference and requires them to determine who you really are.   Explaining your value helps them appreciate and understand you and improves their interest in connecting with you. This is important whether looking for a job or not.
3. Be clear when asked how someone can help you
   Networking creates opportunities for others to offer help.  Be clear what you want.  Maybe it is advice about your career path.  Maybe it is to identify a vendor to solve a problem back at work.  Or, if looking for a job, what does that job look like?   The more specific, the easier for others to help.

You have prepared for the conference, what’s next?  It somewhat depends on your primary goal – finding a job or advancing your career? 

Game plan for leveraging HIMSS25 for finding a job:

1. What is the primary purpose for networking for job seekers? 
   Simple – find people who could be your next hiring manager.  In addition, identify people who would know your next hiring manager.
2. Who would be your next hiring manager?
   Create a persona for your next hiring manager.  For example, if you are looking for your next role to be a product manager for a cybersecurity company, you want to target people who work at cybersecurity companies in a senior product manager role.
3. Where would they be at HIMSS25?
   What sessions would they probably attend?  What part of the show floor might they spend their time at?   In the above scenario, check out cybersecurity focused sessions and focus on the cybersecurity command center section of the exhibit floor.
4. Who might know your next hiring manager and where might THEY be at HIMSS25?
   Continuing the above scenario, those that work in provider organizations in either security roles or IT leadership would be good networking targets as they will often know people who fit the persona of your hiring manager.
5. Don’t ignore social events, especially if they might attract your target audience
   Any and all opportunities to network increase your chances of meeting people that will be of benefit to you at some point in the future. 

Game plan for leveraging HIMSS25 for advancing your career:

1. Goal – find people who can help you advance your career
   To achieve this goal effectively, you have to have identified some plans for your future career.  Even if you don’t know and want to explore some options, create personas of who would be the ideal people to meet.
2. Where would they be at HIMSS25?
   Apply the same approach described above – what sessions and what part of the show floor might they spend their time at?  Don’t ignore social events.

Making the connection

HIMSS25 will be my 24th national conference and while I’ve leveraged the above suggestions to find people I was targeting, that doesn’t mean I ignored the thousands of others at the conference.  Some of the best conversations and connections I’ve built at HIMSS conferences were people I met at random.  The simple fact that is until you start your conversation, you really don’t know much about the person (other than what is on their badge), what they are interested in and who they know. As such, there could be huge benefit to network with them. 

Unfortunately, many people, even after they’ve done their homework, get stuck when it is time to actually connect with someone else.  Some specific recommendations are below of how to engage, but it is important to realize that there are more opportunities to meet people at HIMSS25 than you’ll be able to take advantage of, so just focus initially on those you are most comfortable doing and then expand. Relax, you can do this.

How to strike up the conversation?

Make a comment or ask a simple question as an ice-breaker.

• Where do you work and/or What do you do?
• What did you think of today’s keynote?
• What are you hoping to accomplish at the conference?
• Make a comment about their outfit, their shoes, the weather, anything at all
  These may sound a bit silly, but trust me, they work.  Shoes are a big topic of conversation at a HIMSS conference given how much walking you do.

Ask a smart question at an educational session – give others a reason to talk to you.

Connect with the speaker after their talk and ask if you can talk after the conference

Don’t be bashful - say hello to people wherever you are

• Waiting in line for coffee
• Sitting on the shuttle bus
• Looking for a seat at a keynote

Engage them first, if possible, they will be more willing to ask about you

This is not the time to ask for a job - the goal is to start the conversation

Remember to share contact info (business cards are helpful) and then follow up to schedule time after conference.

Connect with people you meet on LinkedIn – have them scan your LinkedIn QR code so they send you the invite.

DO NOT discuss jobs at a vendor booth – they are there to sell.  If quiet, good opportunity to learn about their solution and ask who to follow up with after conference.

I hope to see you at HIMSS25.  If you would like to learn more about networking, please attend my talk, “Advancing Your Healthcare Technology Career Through Networking”, Session 60, on Tuesday, March 4th at 3 PM in Murano 3201 in the Venetian.  Also, please reach out to me on LinkedIn and ask to connect.  Always happy to network.

If you are currently job seeking and could use some guidance, let’s connect. I offer a free, no-obligation career coaching session to improve your search.

Bob Dichter, MBA
Founder / Career Coach
Phoenix Rising Career Services, Chair, NE HIMSS Mentorship Committee, HIMSS Professional Development Committee
Bob@PhoenixRisingCareer.com