H.R. : How volunteering at events can advance your open source career | Opensource.com

A collection of articles about jobs and careers in open source.

When I look back at my years working in open source, I realize how much conferences have helped my career. Back when I was an editor at Linux Pro Magazine, I met dozens of writers in person at conferences, which almost always improved our working relationships, and I recruited countless new and first-time authors. Watching other speakers and then meeting them after their sessions helped inspire me to get past my stage fright (with a dash of imposter syndrome) and start speaking at events. I've also forged friendships at conferences that are now almost as old as my career. And I've met more than one person who ended up being a future employer.







Within the next few weeks, I will attend FOSDEM and DevConf.cz for the first time, and I'll attend the Southern California Linux Expo SCALE 13x for the eighth time. (I got snowed in and missed SCALE 11x, otherwise this would be the ninth.) I can't be at every event I'd like to attend each year, but SCALE consistently stays in my "must attend" column, not only because of its stellar lineup of sessions and speakers. The event is affordable, fun, and provides a great way for me to see a bunch of friends in one location.

SCALE is put on by volunteers, which is especially impressive when it all comes together at the last moment. At the end of the weekend, attendees leave saying, "This was the best SCALE ever," a sentiment we feel every year. If you want to be a part of SCALE 13x, and volunteering sounds intriguing, check out their recent call for volunteers. You don't have to be an open source expert, or have any open source experience at all for that matter, because the event organizers have a range of jobs just waiting for volunteers to fill them.

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Source:
https://opensource.com/business/15/1/volunteer-events-advance-open-source-career