This was originally a presentation for students at Columbia College Chicago, but I wanted to share the information with the public. It includes general and specific advice for GDC-goers, especially for students and first time attendees. Whether you’re an experienced vet or a nervous new grad, read on for lessons that I learned last year to make your experience as smooth, fulfilling, and safe as possible.
What is the Game Developer’s Conference?
GDC is the primary development-focused networking event of the year. It’s been held for over 30 years, and attendees include hobbyists, students, professionals, veterans, software devs, recruiters, and so forth. This year, it’ll be February 27th to March 4th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. For more basic info, check out their website here.
Make sure to bring…
Some excellent walking shoes! You’re literally going to be walking several miles throughout the week, so put some extra money into some New Balance kicks so that you’re not aching by Wednesday. Bring lots of good socks, too.
Cash for transportation. You’ll probably be using a weird combination of taxis, Lyft, the BART, and trolleys to get between events, so get comfortable with their public transportation. Also, bring cash for food! There will be food trucks at parties and excellent street food up at the Wharf.
Your updated resume, website, business cards, and LinkedIn profile if you’re going to meet recruiters. I recommend spending a little extra for nicer business cards and ordering through MOO. Bring a tablet or laptop to easily show off your website and resume.
A comfortable backpack. Avoid back pain as much as you can. Carry your phone/laptop charger and a rain jacket in case the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Cough drops and painkillers. You'll be doing a lot of talking and walking, so bring some first aid basics to stay comfortable.
A large water bottle. Getting dehydrated would be miserable, so refill it at the water fountains thorughout the conference hall.
External phone batteries. Your phone *will* die at the worst possible time unless you bring some extra juice.
Some damn deodorant. Don’t the guy that someone has to smell for an hour while listening to a talk or panel. Shower every day if you can.
Do this:
Get to San Francisco a day or two early if you haven’t seen the city before! Set aside time to see Fisherman’s Wharf, Muir Woods, the Bridge, Chinatown, and so forth. Ride an old trolley. Get some crab chowder. Eat the heck out of a Sushiritto.
Get the GDC app and start saying hello to folks! You can download it for free and use it to reach out to and interact with fellow devs.
Plan meetings with recruiters IN ADVANCE. Reach out to them on LinkedIn and ask if they’re attending. They’ll be booked as the conference approaches, so do this soon.
Get comfortable with small talk. We’re all huge nerds and at least a little bit awkward. We’ll talk about this more in a moment.
If you’re a student or recent grad, reach out to professionals in advance and offer to buy them coffee. Try to meet up with them, and when you do, ask a lot of questions! Folks love to help younger devs find success with some advice.
Save up a little extra. You’ll probably be spending more on food and beer throughout the week than expected.
Follow up with the people you meet every day. Be proactive, and don’t expect them to do the same. Each evening, no matter how tired I am, I reach out to the folks that I've met that day so I don't fall behind.
Journal your experiences and the people you meet! Write in a notebook at the end of every day so that you can remember who to reach out to and your favorite parts of the week. Write down the bad stuff too so that you don't dwell on it. Put it on paper so that you can move on.
If your hotel has complimentary coffee, jump on that. Caffeine will keep you on your feet, especially when you're out late at parties.
Don’t do this:
Don’t procrastinate. Prep yourself for the conference ahead of time, not at last minute.
Don’t stay too far in your comfort zone. Meet new people, don’t just be with your friends all week! You’re paying big bucks to go. Make the most of it.
Don’t expect to have a job by the end of the week for a few reasons. First of all, a lot of people attend expecting this and end up disappointed. It just doesn’t happen that much. Also, focus more on building long-lasting relationships than pitching your skills in every conversation. This is way better for your professional life and way more fun!
Don’t ever be the drunkest person at a party. Have a few drinks, but avoid hangovers at all costs. They’re a waste of expensive time.
Don’t shove your business cards in people’s face
