Getting Over Your Imposter Syndrome to Become a Conference Speaker

### Overview In this talk, the speaker draws on more than 20 years in tech—including roles at Puppet, Intel, and VMware—to explain how overcoming imposter syndrome and speaking at technology conferences can accelerate career growth. Sharing experiences from delivering over 100 talks and serving on program selection committees, the speaker demystifies the call for proposals (CFP) process, proposal crafting, talk preparation, and how beginners can share valuable knowledge without being the world's foremost expert.

### Key Topics - **Overcoming Imposter Syndrome**: Recognizing that conference audiences contain many beginners who benefit from troubleshooting and lessons-learned talks, rather than just deep academic expertise. - **Selecting Topics and Conferences**: Finding topics based on problems colleagues ask for help with, technologies one loves, or community processes. Choosing conferences by researching past accepted talks and tracking CFP deadlines systematically. - **Crafting Proposals (Titles, Abstracts, Bios)**: Structuring abstracts with an introductory hook, 3–5 concrete bullet points, and learning outcomes; keeping titles concise (3–7 words) and free of buzzwords; and using speaker bios to highlight relevant expertise without false modesty. - **Program Committee Insights ("Here Be Dragons")**: Common proposal pitfalls, such as hiding the talk's conclusions for "mystery," failing to proofread, or submitting vague descriptions that prevent reviewers from assessing fit. - **Talk Preparation and Rehearsal**: Outlining slides before creating them, drafting speaker notes to alleviate stage fright, and practicing out loud for timing rather than rehearsing silently in one's head.

### Technical Details - **CFP Tracking & Targeting**: Tracking CFP deadlines monthly because cfps typically close months before the event. Tailoring submissions to conference themes instead of mass-submitting the same abstract. - **Abstract Formula**: A three-part structure starting with a problem/relevance paragraph, followed by three to five bullet points outlining specific contents, concluding with key takeaways for attendees. - **Supporting Evidence**: Providing high-quality links (e.g., guest articles on opensource.com, a 5-minute recorded presentation on YouTube) to demonstrate presentation and subject-matter competency. - **Stepping Stone Venues**: Building initial speaking experience through local meetups or regional open source conferences such as SeaGL, Texas Linux Fest, Ohio Linux Fest, and SCALE.

### Takeaways Speakers do not need to be the world's leading authority; sharing authentic experiences, hurdles, and troubleshooting steps provides immense value to newer practitioners. Starting preparation early, practicing out loud, proofreading proposals, and clearly communicating the scope of a talk significantly increase CFP acceptance rates and lead to successful presentations.