It's conference season! I already had to sit at home jealous while friends had fun at Render ATL, but it's my turn soon with Commit Your Code next week in Plano, TX. It boasts a banger lineup of speakers, which got me thinking: how do you get the absolute most out of an event like this?
The number one rule is determining your goal before you step through the doors. Are you going to hang out with friends, meet new people, or hunt for a job? Each objective requires a completely different approach, prep strategy, and attire.
1. Hanging Out with Friends
This is the easiest path. Wear whatever keeps you comfortable while looking relatively professional. Meet up with your crew, enjoy the sessions, and have fun. You done did it.
2. Networking and Meeting New People
This is my primary goal for CYC this year. I'll fill you in on my plan. To keep from getting overwhelmed, I built a tracking spreadsheet for everyone I want to connect with. It might sound clinical, but it ensures no follow-up slips through the cracks.
Here is my process:
- Pre-Conference Research: First, I reviewed the talk schedule and logged the speakers and session titles that caught my eye.
- Initial Outreach: I added columns for sending an intro message and a LinkedIn connection request. Then I sat down and message every single one of them. I had a bit of a template, but mostly just told people why their talk sounded interesting or exciting to me. It's hard to have writers block when you have a genuine interest in something. Some of them replied, some didn't, but I already feel like I have a foot in the door heading into the conference.
- During & After the Event: My spreadsheet includes columns for attending their talk, taking photos (speakers always need good photos of themselves on stage), posting on social media, and sending a post-event follow-up.
Sounds like a lot? Because it is! Which is why its in a spreadsheet and not my pasta strainer brain. But it's about intent, respect, and appreciating someone else's time and knowledge, so I consider it a worthwhile effort.
3. Landing a Job
If your goal is landing a role, you should execute the networking strategy above, and then stack extra effort on top:
- Elevate Your Appearance: Dress a bit sharper. You don't need a full suit, but a nice blazer or button down shirt can go a long way.
- Create an Icebreaker: Give people a reason to remember you. Wear a hat featuring a favorite tech project, hand out a unique business card, or attach an NFC tag to your badge for seamless resume sharing.
- Hone Your Pitch: Practice your elevator pitch until speaking about your tech journey feels effortless.
- Target Key Companies: If a speaker works at a company you admire, make meeting them and leaving a great impression an absolute priority.
At the end of the day, tech conferences are what you make of them and the key is showing up with intent. Prep takes a bit of extra effort upfront, but it transforms a chaotic time into a massive win for your career. I'm excited to put this strategy into action at CYC this week. If you spot me frantically updating a spreadsheet in the hallway, please don't be shy, come say hello!
What about you guys? What is your go-to strategy when attending tech conferences?
