Should I pay out of pocket to attend a conference?

Question

I have been programming for about 10 years and most of my experience is in C++, MFC, Win32. I now have a project where .NET is the thing and C# is the preferred language. This is partly due to the fact that almost all the other developers are young and grew up on .NET - and think that C++ == punch cards. I have been learning .NET, C# and SqlServer on my own time and try to squeeze them in at work but I want to go to a conference to get the latest. My boss didn't respond to my asking for him to pay so my question is, should I pay out of pocket? The Microsoft DevConnections by my calculation will run into a few $$$ but I think it will be worth it. IS this a wise investment?

I am not absolutely clueless about .NET. I try to read a few chapters every week, buy at least one book every month and watch at least 1 channel9 video every week. I also have a subscription to Safari Books. The problem is that if you are perceived as being a luddite (that's how C++ is considered here b/c a senior dude never understood pointers) then your job will be at stake.

Answer 1

If your boss knows what's good for the company - and he or she is giving you a project where .NET/C# is the thing / the preferred language then it is in his or her interest to send you to that conference / course to gather skills surrounding the language and technology you are meant to be using.

(at the risk of sounding like spock:)

It would be illogical not to.

However, it is excellent that you're even considering paying for it yourself - this shows a lot of passion. Perhaps mentioning that to your boss would give him or her a kick up the backside, so to speak.

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Of course, if the question you really want to ask is "Are microsoft training courses and conferences worth the money?" then the answer would probably be a maybe.

If you're completely new to the subject of .NET and C# then they're an excellent way to bring those features into your arsenal - but no more, no better than a book.

Answer 2

If you're working for a startup that values bleeding-edge technology, then a conference might be a good fit. I, however; find the conferences to be a bit pretentious and prefer to stay involved at the local level with various user groups.

Answer 3

One benefit of paying for it yourself is that you're really motivated to learn. :)

If you're interested in getting up to speed, a conference can be a great way to do that. You'll get some exposure to industry best-practices and technologies that you might not otherwise run into. I wouldn't consider it to be the one and only thing you need to do to get up to speed, though-- just one of the more expensive and fun routes.

Another useful tactic is to do some research to find the "best-of-breed" books in the desired area and really study them. CLR via C# would be an example I'd use in this context. Less fun, perhaps, but less $$ out of pocket.

It really boils down to your own personal learning style, though, when it comes to maximizing the bang for the buck.

Answer 4

Personally, I find that most conferences are more useful once you are reasonably familiar with the language/framework/platform being worked on at the conference. There are often conference sessions which will be useful, but as a whole, a conference may not be the best way to spend your time (which is probably more valuable than the admission $$$).

Instead, I would recommend looking into a course that's targetted at the information you will be using in your job. This is an easier sell to management.

Later, once you're familiar with .NET, conferences become much more useful. It's a great way to stay current, but not necessarily the best way to learn.

Answer 5

Yes. Conferences are a great way to force-feed your knowledge and expand your horizons. They're also great places to meet your peers and talk about your work outside your daily circle of contacts, so don't skimp on the networking time.

Depending on your location, there are also great .NET user groups in most medium and large cities. These will often attract "name" presenters, and will connect you with various free one or two day conferences in your area. Many user groups also run study groups on various topics. These local user groups are invaluable, and (often) free.

Answer 6

Conferences are a good choice once you have some knowledge on the topics. That will allow you to interact with other attendees. This interaction is the main benefit of conferences. If you are looking only to learn the skills, then a specific class or books would be a better start. To get some exposure, there should be local user groups and/or code camp type events that will get you down the right road.

Good luck!

Answer 7

An alternative is a specialised training course. (I used to provide these for learning XML). A training course will give you a syllabus of what you are expected to learn with clear objectives and a dedicated instructor. By contrast a conference will broaden your horizons and give you (random) access to experts and newbies in the field.

Some conferences also provide pre-and post- conference workshops or tutorials and these are usually structured. This might the the best combined solution.

Anyway good luck

Answer 8

I haven't been to a conference that taught me more than reading a book did. Conferences are fun, and they give you a heads up on different technologies or techniques, but they are little tidbits of information. You can't become a decent programmer by attending conferences, but you can by reading books.

Answer 9

I think this would be a very wise investment. Why? Because you are investing in yourself. How often do you get a chance to really immerse yourself in exciting new technologies, in a room filled with like-minded people, with an opportunity to learn and grow you skill set and be exposed to new and interesting ideas. I usually come away from a conference mentally energized and motivated to learn more about a particular technology. I certainly wouldn't leave me personal education and advancement to the mercy of my boss's budget or discretion. You should follow through on your personal initiative and attend the conference. It will be a great learning experience.

Answer 10

Not trying to outright disagree with all of those who preceded my post, but...

I've never liked the idea of paying for education, or even flat knowledge. Products and services are one thing, but knowledge should be free as an ideal. The ramblings of a old-school Trekkie.

With the Internet online knowledge of all kinds is effectively free at this point. You're obviously already motivated to self-educate, so nature and nurture have taken you this far. I was also benefited in this way and never suffered the burdens of college debt that most of my friends and family have had to -- today I make a good living as the lead programmer in my organization. It's within this light that I recommend you focus on your immediate goals and use the Internet & social resources to garner the tidbits you need to make those goals come to fruition. Stack Overflow is also an excellent resource for advice and methodology.

I worked long ago for an organization that regularly sent me to programming seminars which were all very expensive... mostly those seminars were a waste of my time and their money, despite a few social connectivity benefits. Nowadays I get that same benefit at Code Camps -- which are free (sponsored by assorted corporate interests) all over the nation (and even the world I believe).

Answer 11

In my humble opinions, conferences are only worth it if you use them for networking first and learning second.

In this era of pervasive internet, you can learn anywhere. The unique opportunity here is having so many of your peers in the same room, and that's what you should be capitalizing on!

Answer 12

If you employer does not pay for conferences and you feel that it can help you (only you can decide since only you care about your career as much as you do); then it is good to pay for it yourself if you can afford it. I personally think conferences are good for the camaraderie, to develop connection/expand your network, energize your spirit and get exposed to (not neccessary to master) new technologies and thinkings. I do not think they are the place to go to become good at a technology- is currently seems to be your #1 goal.

Based on your supporting comments I think your real question is: "How can I rejuvenate my career by learning .NET?" You have to practice and work it on your own for a while- something that does not happen at conferences. To learn C#, you have to do a variety of things like read (magazines, blogs, tweets etc), play with code, try video tutorials like AppDev (http://www.appdev.com/) (I used video tutorials when I first started) and use it on a job. If your job is a very late technolgy-adopter, then you may have to change jobs.

Conferences do not necessary have the latest. The cutting and bleeding edge technologies come from blogs like Scott Guthrie and difference Microsoft team blogs and CTPs. Scott Hanselman is another good one. If you want to be cheap, some conferences post videos of recent talks. Do a google or bing search.

P/S Do not be offended by this. However, if what I am saying is new to you and you have been a Software Developer for 10 years, you may not be putting enough effort into developing your career. You employer is not responsible for this- you are.

Answer 13

About 5 years ago when I was first leaning .NET I paid for myself to go on the DevelopMentor Guerrilla .NET Training Course and to the TechEd conference.

The training cause cost a lot more, but I feel I got more value from it.

These days you can down load most talk’s from conferences, so they have even less value for learning. If you are good at networking then I think conference have value.

(Note TechEd in Europe is a lot more programmer focused then in USA)