Nebraska.code Blog Why should you speak at conferences?

What is the sound of opportunity knocking? Does it pound like a jackhammer or scratch quietly at the door before moving on? In terms of speaking at conferences it can take many forms, loud or quiet, but it is opportunity and you ignore the call at your own peril.As an organizer of a conference we are in a strange position. For us to have a conference we need people to step up and submit sessions. Let's break that down a little. Public speaking is frightening for most people. We don't pay our speakers directly although we will cover hotel rooms and maybe some T&E. Lastly putting together a session is a lot of work. What it comes down to is we want you to volunteer to do something that is going to cause you a lot of stress, is scary, and we are not going to pay you. Thank you and have a nice day.Taking all that into account, why do people answer a Call For Speakers so readily?• Meet other Speakers - You would be surprised at the comradery that develops between speakers at events. There are many people who only see each other at these local and regional events and strong friendships quickly bond.• Evangelize a Technology - Do you have a technology that you absolutely love? The larger the user base is for that technology the more likely that it survives, thrives, and grows. If you feel like a framework has made your life easier the best way to pay it back is to spread the word.• Plant a Flag - We all are busy in our day-to-day lives knocking out pending work. Sometimes you hear about something that sounds very intriguing but isn't appropriate for any of your current projects. By submitting to talk about that technology at a future event gives you a deadline by which you MUST learn it. You would be surprised by not only how many people use this strategy to learn new technologies, but also by how effective it is.• Become an Expert - When you commit to speak on a subject you naturally have to dig more deeply into it. While we would never encourage using conferences as resume-builders future employers or clients see conference speaking in a very positive light.• Build Your Community - A strong, vibrant community means more opportunity for everyone. It means that business' are growing and their need for confident and competent professionals is also. By speaking at a conference you are helping to lift this community.The next time your twitter feed explodes with conferences announcing their Call For Speakers I hope you see it for what it really is. Opportunity -- tweeting, facebooking, emailing, or calling. Are you sure you want to ignore it?