Hello World! Let’s get one thing straight: industry conferences are a blast! You need to go – even if this entails schlepping across the country for three days of overpriced lattes and endless PowerPoint presentations. Put on your sensible shoes and practice your “networking smile” because, like it or not, these events are where careers can get made, reputations get polished, and new ideas get stolen – uh I mean shared. Besides, I have been told that I look quite distinguished while wearing an orange lanyard.

I’m not going to kid you – conferences also can be painful. Some may seem like a cross between jury duty and summer school. But they can also be extremely beneficial from an educational and career perspective. You will gain new ideas, new contacts, and maybe even a new job offer. Some suggested reasons for attending and maximizing the potential of a tech industry conference are listed below:

Reason #1: Networking (aka Awkwardly Hovering Near Important People)

Ah, networking – the ancient art of standing in a circle of people who only want to talk to you if you have a budget. Conferences are the LinkedIn of real life. They are ideal places to make those crucial industry connections, which really means that you’ll collect a stack of business cards that you’ll forget about within a week. But let’s be honest, one of those random conversations may lead to your next job, or at least an excuse to expense lunch.

Reason #2: Free Food and SWAG

The glorious SWAG bag! Nothing says, “I’m invested in my career” like coming home with a dozen differently branded USB drives and nine new logoed T-shirts. These treasures are the real ROI – bring something back for your boss. And the conference itself is a veritable buffet – literally and figuratively. There’s no better way to justify your company’s travel expenses than by inhaling mini cheeseburgers while listening to a keynote about Kubernetes’ Security Solutions.

Reason #3: The Exhibit Hall, The Hunger Games of Sales Pitches

Vendors pull out all the stops: VR demos, arcade games, ice cream counters, and overly exuberant sales reps. Sure, half of the products are over-marketed fluff, but the other half can contain hidden gems. You’ll find tools you didn’t know existed, and suddenly a colorful five-minute sales pitch feels like time well spent. Just watch out for committing to a lunch meeting and demo with someone named Chad.

Reason #4: You Will Learn Something New (Hopefully)

Most of the sessions will be a blur of jargon, along with some vague promises of “synergy.” But then, when you least expect it, you’ll stumble upon a session that explains exactly how to fix the mess that you inherited from that guy who quit last year. Plus, seeing what’s on the horizon (even if it is five years away) helps you plan for your own environment and career trajectory. Those are the kinds of things that make the trip worthwhile.

Conferences may not all be glamorous, but they matter. They keep you in the loop, help you make connections, and show you the future (or at least some vendors’ interpretation of it). So pack up your laptop, your business cards, and maybe even a flask, and go embrace the chaos.

Stay tuned for more nerdy columns about my experiences as an SE.