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Three years ago, I would've walked all the way from Damascus to Beirut (or anywhere else actually) just to attend a lightning talks session.
For this year’s event we've announced that during the Developer Days we're going to have more lightning talks and we've put up a call for papers.
So far we’ve had an amazing and diverse array of talent come on board, but since there are a few of you out there that might still be hesitant to join, I thought I’d provide more information on why I think every single person attending the developer days should submit one, so that those who have cold feet might be encouraged and do so!
So, without further ado, allow me to start my list:
1- A Chance to Speak
I'm an experienced developer myself, and believe me, you don't get a chance to speak in front of a 300-person audience every day, especially if you can speak about whatever you want!
2- Get Connected, Get Known
Getting a chance to talk at a conference this big right next to speakers from top companies like Facebook and Google is an unbelievably exhilarating experience. Your five minute talk will introduce the audience to your talent; it's kind of like ringing a bell in the middle of a crowd shouting "PEOPLE! I'M HERE" but in a more civilized way. Actually, scratch that, nothing is similar to this experience!
3- Get Hired
If you're looking for a (new) job or client, this is the perfect opportunity for you to convince representatives from a wide range of companies in the region why they should hire you. Of course, don't expect anyone to stand up during your talk and shout "YOU'RE HIRED" Donald Trump style, but it's definitely a smooth way for you to kick-start an intense business/client-servicing meeting.
4- Give Something Back to the Community
If you're an experienced developer, or on your way to becoming one, this is your chance to give back to the community. Share your experience and let other people learn how you became this good!
The devil is in the details. Anyone can pick up a book on programming and learn the basics, but he experience that you have lies in the small tips and tricks that you’ve acquired over the years, and it’s your duty to pass it along!
5- Become a Mentor
For this year's Developer Days, we're going to have an exciting new competition that will knock your socks off. We haven't announced it yet, but we'll release information about it soon. If you're proposal is accepted, you're automatically invited to mentor competitors and help them throughout the competition.
6- Arab Developers UNITE!
We all know how politicians lie, it's like they're in elementary school fighting over who gets to play in the sandbox, but instead the elementary school is our world and the sandboxes are our countries. It’s time for geeks to unite and take over! Imagine the endless possibilities of 300 developers exchanging ideas and working together.
7- Attend the Developer Days for Free!
If you don't care about any of the reasons mentioned above (and that's totally fine), submitting a lightning talk will get you a free ticket to attend the ArabNet Developer Days! If you do the math, 5 minutes on stage will save you $60 if you're a student, $80 if you're an entrepreneur, $120 if you're part of an NGO, and $200 if you're a professional! Try to convince me that that's not a good deal!
8- Your Name on our Website and in the Summit Booklet
If your talk is approved, your name is going to be listed on our website and in our booklet (with your picture, position/title and bio). That's super cool because it means that every single person attending the conference will know who you are!
One thing I've learned is that in this industry, you need to grab every opportunity to brand yourself! If some people know about you now, more people will know about you later, and the circle keeps on getting bigger and bigger. That's the magic of the word-of-mouth strategy. Any experienced marketeers will tell you that if you can get away without spending a lot of money on marketing, you’re ahead of the game.
9- Attend an "ArabNet"
Over the past two years, ArabNet has established itself as the biggest event for the web and mobile industry in this region. Last year we had over 1000 attendees from all over the region and 100 speakers from some of the top companies from around the world!
Attending ArabNet Digital Summit this year is not just about 5 days spent learning, conversing and connecting with like-minded people, it's an experience that will open many doors for you if you play it right!
The chance will still be available over the next two weeks or so (deadline for submissions is 15th of Feb). DON’T MISS IT!
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