Navigating Your First Tech Conference

I attended Pycon in September 2023 and Kubeday India in December 2023. Here are my learnings from them, so that YOU can make the most out of your first technical conference!

What can you expect?

A tech conference consists of people coming from different backgrounds, ranging from seasoned working professionals to students. There will be workshops, talks on various technologies, keynote sessions from famous speakers, networking spaces and stalls from the sponsors where you might win some cool swag like T-shirts, stickers and other goodies. Lastly, good food maybe.

If you are reading this, then I assume you have a reason for wanting to attend a particular conference. If not, find one! It can be anything, say for networking, learning about a technology or simply because you are just very interested in a particular tech and want to attend a conference about it.

Psst.. If you're just starting with a tech and thinking of going to a conference about it, don't stress about not knowing a lot, because many conferences are beginner-friendly! Now, let's get to our main point: what you can do to make the most of your first tech conference.

1. Networking

This is a place where you can meet a lot of people and is probably one of the best places to go and talk to new people. Yes it might be uncomfortable to go talk to new people but TRUST ME it will help you a lot, and make your overall conference experience WAYY better.

Remember many folks are here for the same reason, so yes gather up some courage, and you will definitely not regret it. You don't need to be an expert in tech to talk with someone, if you find someone wearing cool swag just go strike up a conversation with them. There are many perspectives when it comes to how to network but here is something I read in a book that really made sense to me

Networking is about building relationships and this cannot be rushed. When you meet someone don’t think about what they can do for you- but about what you can do for them. You can create value in many ways, it may be your positive attitude, your skills, etc. So take your time to really talk with people you connect.

2.Its not always about swag (goodies)

Yes, I know you must be thinking WHAT IS WRONG WITH SOME COOL SWAG ?? Well, there isn’t ! conferences are actually a great place to get some swag. However, that shouldn't be your main priority. At a conference, there are many sponsor booths, and it's a very good idea to check them out, learn about their technology, and engage with them. There might be games in the booths which can earn you some swag, which is OK, but you should not invest A LOT of time trying to get them.

At Pycon I have seen some people spending hours winning a few games for swag which I didn't feel worthwhile. Remember that your time is limited at a conference, so make it more meaningful.

3.Choose your sessions

In a tech conference, there will be a variety of talks scheduled simultaneously in different areas, therefore it is better to narrow down the talks you wish to attend.

🎓Pro tip: Avoid scheduling sessions that need you to travel back and forth between separate venues. If you switch halls frequently, a session in a different hall may have already begun by the time you arrive.

On my first day at Pycon, there were four different venues. When I went back and forth between them, I realized that by the time I arrived, the sessions had already started. So, I made sure not to repeat that mistake again.

In Summary:

1. Meet new people and take time to really talk with them

2. Don’t focus on swag too much

3. Plan your sessions wisely; avoid unnecessary travel between venues.

Well, that’s it from me. I hope this was worth your time. 👋