Speaking at Conferences 101
If you’ve ever thought about applying to speak at a conference, you should try it! I applied to my first conference with zero knowledge of the process, and after trying a few times, I finally got accepted! From my experience, I’ve learned that all you need to speak at a conference is knowledge of a topic, the right conference that aligns with that topic, and a stellar Call for Paper (CFP). Let’s take a step-by-step look at how I approach applying to and speaking at conferences!
Step 1: Make a list of topics
The first step you’ll want to take is to make a list of the topic(s) you want to talk about or would enjoy talking about at a conference. It’s a good idea to come up wth a few topics because different conferences have different focuses. A few questions to get you thinking about potential topics are:
What topic(s) am I excited to share with others?
What topics could I talk for 15-45 minutes about?
What type of audience do I want to speak to?
Which topics am I an expert in?
For me personally, the topic(s) I like to talk about are: accessible CS education for elementary school, accessible CS education for middle/high school (I separate the elementary school from the middle/high school topics because education conferences can differ by grade level), The Coding Workbook, and the Digital Divide. I also like to talk about working in tech, Instructional Design, and course building. Once you’ve come up with your list of topics, you can then start Step 2.
Hot tip: It can be helpful to group your list of topics by theme or category. For example, I like to write both about K-12 STEM education AND Instructional Design, which have two completely different audiences. So I like to separate any topics relating to K-12 STEM education into one column, and any topics relating to Instructional Design in another.
Step 2: Make a list of conferences you want to speak at
Once you’ve come up with your list of topics you want to talk about at a conference, you can make a list of the conferences you’d like to speak at, or whose descriptions seem like they would align with one or more topics you’d be presenting on. Dream big!
How to find conferences:
Do an internet search for your topics from Step 1, and add “conference'“ at the end
Ask your network! Whether it’s Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn, you have people that might know about a conference that’s looking for presenters that align with what you want to share
Think about past conferences you’ve been to and either add those to your list or look for conferences that are related
What to include in your list of conferences:
Name of the conference
Description of the conference
Topics from Step 1 that align with the conference description
Link to the conference website
Date that the Call for Papers/Proposals (CFP) opens
Conference date
Hot Tip: My best tip is to make sure you sign up for each conference’s newsletter. There’s a chance you’ve just missed the deadline for the Call for Papers/Proposals, and being on their newsletter will ensure you’re notified as soon as the following year’s Call for Papers opens!
Step 3: Write your Conference Call for Paper/Proposal (CFP)
Once you’ve created your list of topics and conferences you want to speak at, it’s time to look at which conferences are currently accepting conference proposals, or Call for Papers/Proposals (CFPs). Then you gotta get writing! Most conferences will require you to submit a CFP that outlines the following things:
Your bio (background, qualifications, links to your website, etc.)
A description of the session you want to present at the conference (sometimes they let you submit more than one session topic/description)
Length of your session
I recommend writing out your responses to each question in either a Google Doc or Word Doc because sometimes the application pages can time-out, or not save your work. This has happened to me before *cries*.
Hot tip: Once you’ve written your responses, edit for two things: spelling/grammar, and if you’ve answered the question from the prompt fully.
Step 4: Write your presentation!
Now that you’ve gotten accepted to talk at a conference, it’s time to write your presentation! When I approach writing a talk, I like to follow these steps:
Open a Google/Word doc and copy and paste the presentation description that you submitted in your CFP (this is super helpful if you’ve applied to a bunch of conferences with slightly different topics - it keeps your writing on track!)
Write out the main points of your talk in an outline
Start to create your draft by filling in your outline with either bullet points or full speaking script (it’s totally up to your preference)
Note: It’s a good practice to try to limit the time you talk about each of your main points to 5-10 minutes. This will prevent your audience from being overwhelmed with information.
Give your draft a few days to “breathe” (don’t touch it! come back in a few days with fresh eyes)
Edit your draft and do a final check that it aligns with the presentation description you’ve submitted in your CFP
If you’re creating a video or slide deck, you can use the draft you’ve created to guide you as you build.
Conclusion
And that’s it! That’s how I go about applying to and speaking at conferences. If you have any questions about any of the steps I’ve mentioned, feel free to comment below or send me an email!
Keywords: conference, my first conference, how to speak at a conference, conference presentation, conference presentations,
