If you’re interested in the tech industry, whether you’re working in it or you’re simply a lover of technology, you’ve likely thought about attending one of the thousands of tech-related conferences that are held the world over each year. But if you’ve never gone to one of these conferences, you might not know what you should do to prepare or how things will work while you’re there. So to help ensure that you have a great time at whatever tech conference you choose to attend, here are three tips for going to your first tech conference.
Prepare To Learn
While you might feel like you know a lot about the tech industry, tech conferences are a great place for you to put your knowledge on the back burner and truly learn from others and what they’re doing. To best do this, Lily Herman, a contributor to The Muse, recommends that you choose to go to breakout sessions about topics that you’re unfamiliar with. Even if one of the topics is something you love or find as a passion, there’s no better place to learn something new in the tech field than at a conference. Make sure you bring a laptop or notebook so you can record what you’ve learned and apply it to your life after the conference is over.
Don’t Forget Your Business Cards
Another benefit to going to a tech conference is the amount of connections you’re able to make with others in your field. Not only are there other people attending the conference that you can meet and get to know, but you can also get some face-to-face time with big names in the industry. According to Deborah Shane, it’s important that you don’t forget to bring some business cards with you so you can get in touch with those whom you make connections with. Business cards will also come in handy if you meet someone who’s interested in some of the work you’ve been doing in the field. You could also use them to enter into drawings or try to win other available prizes.
Try To Stay Off Your Technology
Although this might be difficult for you, Clark Buckner, a contributor to Technology Advice, recommends that you try your best to stay off of your own technological devices while at the conference. While they can be helpful or useful in some instances, the last thing you want is to be distracted by your phone or tablet to the extent that you don’t take full advantage of the time you have at this conference. Everything on your phone will still be there for you at the end of the day, so make sure you’re not spending too much of your time checking on things outside the conference when you should be focused solely on what’s happening around you.
If you’ll soon be going to your first tech conference, consider using the tips mentioned above to ensure you have a great time here.