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Having a game plan always pays off.
Anderson Douglas, a Houston, TX-based professional with a background in engineering, has spent nearly a decade working as a sales consultant. At one point in his career, he transitioned into the tech industry but stepped away for some time until November 2024.
“I felt like the position that I was in, it was great pay. I just wasn’t maximizing my potential in regards to having an engineering background,” he told AFROTECH™.
Douglas applied to countless tech roles and was receiving rejection emails. However, his fate would change during his attendance at AFROTECH™ Conference held in November 2024 in Houston, TX.
Douglas purchased a corporate ticket, and his approach for the conference was to build authentic connections rather than focus solely on leaving with an offer. By engaging on the expo floor and having less formal follow-up conversations at events, he strengthened his connections with recruiters. He also leveraged a 15-second elevator pitch, and it was the combination of these actions that fast-tracked his interview process.
“I prepared an elevator pitch and just sold myself in regards to what I can do for the company, what I have to offer, my experience, and that just led to them giving me either the opportunity on-site or another follow-up interview that week,” he said.
Douglas has successfully secured three offers within the tech sector. Two of these opportunities, both account executive roles, originated from connections made on the expo floor. He chose to decline the third offer, which was for a business development representative position.
“The connections that I built through AFROTECH™ pretty much accelerated all those no’s that I was receiving because I was able to build those connections face-to-face rather than them just reading my application and not even giving me the opportunity to interview,” he explained. “So I was very, very appreciative of that opportunity for sure because I was getting a little discouraged… Because of AFROTECH™, I was able to keep that dream alive, and it’s pretty much gonna change the trajectory of my career.”
While we hope you are inspired by Douglas story, we have plugged in some helpful tips that you can leverage to secure interviews at the next AFROTECH™ Conference or during conference season. We have compiled tips from both workforce development consultant Jessica Williams and Douglas.
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
Before attending a conference, it’s essential to craft and perfect your elevator pitch. Ideally no longer than 60 seconds, it should clearly convey who you are, what you do, and why it matters. Douglas recommends incorporating the acronym ICE: Impact, Change, and an Example, to ensure your pitch is concise and compelling.
“My 22-second pitch is my bread and butter. You want to make sure you let people know who you are, what you do and what your secret sauce is. This is your opportunity to show up and show out,” Williams explained.
The goal is to appear confident and seamless. So, practice in front of a mirror, with friends, and during your free time, rather than using the conference as a trial run.
Begin Scouting Events Ahead Of Time
In addition to refining your elevator pitch, it’s important to take advantage of networking opportunities. You should also scout networking events held within and beyond the conference. These events often offer a range of ice-breakers that can spark conversations and foster more meaningful connections.
“Whether it’s a meetup, that would be a great opportunity to connect with people and have meaningful conversations that aren’t scripted and that don’t have as much pressure, because when you’re out in a social setting, people are able to communicate a little bit easier. So I would also take advantage of those outside events as well,” Williams detailed.
Create A Digital Thank-You
As you solidify connections, you should always remember to follow up. Prepare digital thank-you notes in advance so you can have them on standby to send out within 24 hours. Professionals and recruiters are interacting with countless faces each day, so you want to be intentional with following up and how you are presenting your note.
Douglas relied on the 2-2-2 method.
“I will either do a follow-up 2 hours after that conversation in regards thanking them for that conversation. Outside of that, I would do 2 days later, then 2 weeks,” he noted.
Williams takes it a step further by emphasizing the importance of being mindful of how you present yourself at a conference to stand out. At one event, she strategically wore colorful glasses, using them as a unique accessory to capture attention and spark conversations.
“I always send a snatcher. I’ll send a digital thank-you note within 24 hours. You don’t want them to forget you,” Williams said. “You have to be memorable. So if you send them that digital thank you, make sure you let them know, ‘Hey, I was the one with the colorful glasses, or I had these sneakers on, and we talked about *insert point*. Do not let 24 hours go by without sending that thank-you for the conversation.”
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