Why you should give talks — even if you know nothing
Oleh Levchenko · IT Friday · June 2026
When I gave my first talk — I was a green junior (I'd even say trainee!) who barely understood what I was talking about. My voice trembled. I was rushing through words. I forgot what I was saying mid-sentence. I was terrified of questions from the audience like fire (and honestly, I still am!)).
My second talk wasn't better. Neither was the third.
But then something changed.
I didn't suddenly become confident or experienced. I just started to understand that a talk isn't an exam where you're being graded. It's a conversation. And in this conversation you can share your pain points, non-obvious cases, raw experience — and it will be valuable for people around you (at least it was for me!).
That's when I realized: giving talks is worth it. Here's why.
"I have nothing to talk about"
This is the first thought that stops most people. And it's the biggest mistake.
You don't need to be an expert to speak. You need to be a person who has experienced something (or is about to), tried something, or understood something (and sometimes didn't understand) — even if it's small.
A bug you spent three days hunting? Talk topic. A library you tried that surprised you? Talk topic. A decision that seemed obvious but turned out to be a trap? Talk topic. Tried a new tool even just for preparing the talk itself? Talk topic.
The less "glossy" your topic — the more often people in the audience nod and think "Oh, that's me." (Cue the DiCaprio meme where he points at the screen.)
What a talk gives you
1. You understand the topic more deeply
There's a big difference between "I know this" and "I can explain this."
When you prepare for a talk — you find gaps in your knowledge you didn't notice before. You start digging deeper. You look for answers to questions no one has asked yet — but definitely will.
Preparing one talk gives you more than a week of passive article reading. Though there's a trap here — don't get stuck in preparation chasing perfection. A talk should be good enough, not perfect.
2. You learn to articulate your thoughts
This is an underrated skill — and one that's very costly to miss in a career.
The ability to speak clearly, in a structured and understandable way — that's what separates a good developer from someone trusted with complex tasks, team leadership, and client communication.
A talk is a training ground for this skill. Cheaper and safer than learning it in the field. And it also trains you to answer any question — not just the ones you know the answer to.
3. You become visible
IT is an industry where reputation is built over years, but opens doors quickly.
One talk at a community stream or meetup — and people who you've never met in person already know you. Someone will remember your name. Someone will DM you. Someone will recommend you to a colleague.
Let's call this phenomenon "networking on steroids." It's like being in a room with a hundred people who are interested in your topic — and every one of them can become your friend, colleague, or even employer.
4. You overcome the fear of public speaking
The first talk is scary. The second — a little less. The fifth — just pre-launch excitement.
Fear doesn't disappear completely — but it stops holding you back. And this changes many things, not just in your career but in life overall.
5. You inspire others
This sounds grandiose — but it's true.
When someone sees that an ordinary person (not an "industry star," not the author of a popular library) steps up and honestly shares their experience — it lowers the threshold for everyone around them. Someone in the audience thinks "if they can — so can I."
I got into my first talk exactly this way — people from an old community said "try it, it's useful." And they were right.
When to start?
Now! Not when you "have more experience." Not when you "find the perfect topic." Right now!
Your current level is your most valuable perspective. What seems obvious to you after a year of work — is completely non-obvious to someone starting today. What you understood this month — someone is looking for the answer to it right now.
The worst talk you'll give is still better than the one you never gave.
Oleh Levchenko — Senior Full Stack JavaScript Developer, founder of IT Friday — an online community for Ukrainian IT specialists worldwide.