Tips for speaking at technical conferences for first time speakers

1-What to talk about if you have nothing to talk about?

• Talk about something you are passionate about.

• Talk about a technical problem you have solved at work.

• Talk about your side project.

• Talk about a technology you want to learn.

• Find inspiration on YouTube or blogs for a potential topic.

1-How to find events?

• Find events on Meetup and Eventbrite.

• Find events on Twitter by using relevant hashtags.

• Find events in Github repos that have information on upcoming conferences.

• 1-How to know if this is a good topic to talk about?

• Browse schedule from previous years to find out common themes people talked about.

• Send a few topics to the conference organizers so they can give you feedback.

• Run the topics by someone who speaks at conferences a lot.

• 1-How to manage the nervousness of getting up on (virtual) stage.

• Do a dry run with a few friends or organizers.

• Use presenter notes if you tend to forget lines when you are nervous.

• Keep a script handy when you are presenting.

• Record yourself giving the talk and note down where you can improve.

• Practice the first five minutes of a talk well. I have noticed that if I can get a good start, my nerves are calmed down and I feel a lot more confident in the rest of the talk.

• I have seen that a lot of times people get up on the stage and say out loud that they are nervous. It’s totally OK! When someone says that, the immediate reaction of the audience is usually to cheer them on. We are all humans and the audience understands. Everyone is rooting for you.

• 1- Start Small

• Give a talk at your local meetup.

• Give a talk in your office network.

• Start with a topic you are very confident about.

• i have spoken multiple conferences but still the nervousness never goes away,although it gradually becomes better with practice.The felling after having given a talk is amazing and it makes the entire process worth it. Give it a shot! You will love it!