I was hired as the keynote speaker for two VMUG User Cons. I explained to the organizers that I'm more into business networking and not infrastructure networking. They exclaimed, "that's why we want you!" They wanted me to get their members connecting with one another and meeting new people.
This is exactly why I launched an online course. So people can set goals and know how to meet new people. It's not pushy, traditional networking stuff either. It's to build true relationships with cool people who can lead you to new business opportunities later. Networking is about helping others first.
That's a big if. I don't go to a lot of conferences, but I've never been to one where I ever maintained contact with anyone I met there, after the conference was over.
As a counterpoint: I have. I've also used conferences as a means of getting face-time with people I otherwise only interact with online. There are also people I share information with, but only interact with once a year at a conference (that is, the conference is the means of staying in touch). Sometimes its also about meeting people who, while you might not stay in touch with them, if for some reason you end up interacting with them in the future, they remember you and you have a head start (last year I almost got a job (I turned it down only because it would have increased my commute beyond what I was willing and I wasn't prepared to relocate) because I met the CTO at a conference 5 years ago). The value of these things varies, of course, so I won't say that conferences are definitely and always worthwhile, but they definitely can be.
I've had similar experiences, but I also think your answer could be paraphrased as "conferences are good because extroverts like them." Some people who are otherwise really good developers aren't going to get much value from a bunch of forced socialization.
Also, in context of "companies should pay for their employees", none of the experiences you note benefitted the company. If you had left the company because you met a new connection at a conference, not only would the employer be out $3K to send you to the conference, they'd be out $50K or more to hire your replacement.
but I also think your answer could be paraphrased as "conferences are good because extroverts like them
Sure, except that I'm far from an extrovert and that's exactly why I like conferences: I find it incredibly difficult to network and a conference provides a nice, safe, closed environment for me to do so regardless.
Also, in context of "companies should pay for their employees", none of the experiences you note benefitted the company
Absolutely. I wasn't really relying in the context of the article but rather as a counterpoint to not finding personal value in conferences. I've went to almost all conferences I've been to on my own dime, so I obviously wasn't there to benefit my employers.
