There are now hundreds of conferences around the world that are always on the lookout for new presentations. In this article, I summarise what I have learned as a regular speaker.

Disclaimer

This blog post is based on my presentation of the same name. I have submitted this presentation to many conferences and - ironically - it has almost always been rejected. So I decided to put the whole thing into a blog post so this content is not lost. Because I think there are still too few resources for new speakers available online - and there is a definite need for new and more diverse voices in tech conferences!

Also, please be sure that this is not about bragging. It’s a sharing of personal experiences and strategies that have worked for me personally.

Take this with a grain of salt and remember: what works for me may not work for you.

Making the Decision to Speak

The decision to speak at a conference can be triggered by various factors. Perhaps you enjoy teaching, want to finally face your fear of public speaking, or have the feeling of “if x can do it, I could do it, too”. Maybe you want to attend conferences for free which is also a legitimate reason.

Speaking at conferences can provide numerous benefits such as gaining experience, brand exposure (both of your company and your personal one), deep learning of a topic, and connecting with other speakers. However, it also comes with its disadvantages like preparation time, travel time, planning overhead, mental stress, and stage fright.

For me, it was worth it and the pros more than outweighed the cons!

Finding and Choosing Conferences

Speaking possibilities can be found in various ways, for example through announcements from conferences themselves through newsletters, messages from other speakers on social media, or specialised conference list websites and newsletters (like testingconferences.org). When choosing a conference, consider the overall topic/audience, location (if it is happening in person), conference format/tracks, scale and size, and code of conduct.

Be wary of “pay to speak” conferences where you pay for travel and accommodation. While it can be good for brand exposure, be aware that you have to spend your own money to attend!

Call for Papers/Proposals

When finding a topic for your talk, check the conference overall theme. You can consider your personal career, things you work with, different perspectives, and in general think about talks you would like to see.

Don’t overestimate your audience when thinking about topics! I have seen great talks not being submitted because the potential speakers said "I am scared the audience already knows everything about this. Don't let this thought hold you back!

By the way, you can submit multiple talks! It might sound obvious but you don't have to settle just for one topic.

Abstract

Your abstract should not be too short or too long, have a catchy title and be easy to understand. It should provide a short explanation of the why, and...