I have been an IT professional for over 30 years. I have been speaking publicly and presenting at conferences for probably 25 years. I have presented to all types of groups, from small user groups to large conferences, literally around the world. As I enter the last part of my IT career, I am re-assessing what role conferences will play, and where I want to devote my energy and financial resources. The truth is, that as much as I enjoy presenting and meeting people, there is always a trade-off between the time and money spent on conferences and the value I get from them.
Beginning in 2024, I have decided to make some hard decisions. If you are involved in a conference or event where I have spoken in the past, this may be of interest to you. The bottom line is that I am now very selective about what events and conferences I will present at. Let's dive into some details, and of course there will be exceptions, which I'll cover in a bit.
First, I will no longer submit conference session proposals. I am not going to submit ten session proposals in the hope you'll pick one or two. At this point in my career, and with my experience, if you would like me to present at your event, invite me. You know my areas of expertise, and the type of content I can present. Invite me and tell me what you'd like me to talk about, and for how long. It is that easy. Make my appearance special for your event. At this point in my career, the number of future public appearances is a finite number in a rapidly closing window. I am open to keynotes, workshops, panel discussions, and general sessions.
As much as you have expectations from me, I also have expectations of your event.
- I expect your event to be well-organized and well-promoted.
- I expect diversity in speakers and attendees.
- I expect your event to have a code of conduct and to enforce it.
- I expect you to provide a safe and secure environment for speakers and attendees.
I expect to be compensated for my time and travel. This not only includes full access to the event, but also a business-class hotel room for the duration of the event. I am a firm believer that conference speakers should be compensated for their presentations. The time they are devoting to your event goes beyond the number of minutes of the presentation. If your event charges admission or has sponsors, compensating speakers should be part of your budget. Finally, while not a hard requirement, I believe an event should also offer some form of reimbursement for travel expenses.
I am willing to make exceptions to these requirements. I will still attend and present at events that are important to me, like the PowerShell + DevOps Global Summit. I am also open to invitations to smaller community-run events, although I would hope the event could still meet as many of the expectations above as possible. You can always ask, and I will consider the event on a case-by-case basis.
Some of you may be wondering about training. First, let me say that I don't consider myself a trainer. I am a teacher. Training implies a specific set of skills and a specific set steps to achieve a specific end goal. My subject is PowerShell and automation. There isn't one set way to use it. I have to teach you the PowerShell paradigm, teach you how to apply it, and show you how to teach yourself.
I am always available for onsite and private classes. Typically, you will want a minimum of 5-7 students to make it worth your while. My classes are customized to my client's requirements and very hands-on. Expect a class length of 3-5 days, depending on the content. The course fee is all-inclusive for the length of the engagement so there are no surprises.
The nature of my classes do not lend themselves to virtual classes.
If you run an event where you would like me to present, feel free to reach out to me on social media. You can find all of my social media links at https://jdhitsolutions.github.io. Or you can email me at jhicks@jdhitsolutions.com
I realize this will most likely reduce the number of public appearances I make this year and in the future. But I am at a point in my career where I need to be more selective about where I spend my time, energy, and financial resources. I hope you understand and I hope to see you at an event near you.