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Tech-Con: Your Gateway to a New Job
Transform your next tech conference into a job-search goldmine

In this week’s newsletter:
⭐️ Tech Conference Survival Guide: 6 Tips for Tech Conference Success
🎉 Stay Ahead of the Game: 9 Must-Attend Tech Conferences
🤖 Upgrade Your Job Search with AI: Perplexity.ai
📈 Jobless Claims Up Again This Week - More Layoffs at Disney & Meta
⭐️ Tech Conference Survival Guide: 6 Tips for Tech Conference Success
The true magic of a tech conference lies in the power of building meaningful relationships. This is a world where connections are made, ideas are ignited, and collaborations are born. Regardless of whether you're a seasoned pro or a newbie in the tech industry, the opportunities are endless.
As mentioned in a previous post, a LinkedIn study showed that 85% of jobs are filled through networking, making tech conferences a valuable opportunity for making connections and finding job opportunities.
Here are six ways to network your way to success:
😃 Debug your approachability: Wear a smile, keep your body language open-source, and make yourself accessible to others.
📝 Code a confident introduction: Craft a killer elevator pitch that showcases your tech skills and interests with flair.
🙋♀️ Troubleshoot others with questions: Show genuine interest in their projects by asking thoughtful questions and having meaningful conversations that leave them sensing your value.
🧠 Share your “byte”-sized knowledge: don’t gatekeep your wisdom, drop some insights, and debug the way to mutual value.
🪪 Exchange “data packets”: Swap business cards or connect on professional networking platforms for future collaboration.
📧 Follow up with “tech-requisite” finesse: Send personalized follow-up emails or messages to stay on their mind and nurture meaningful relationships beyond the conference.
Tl;dr: ditch the awkwardness and embrace your inner extrovert. You're at a tech conference, surrounded by like-minded individuals who are just as eager to network as you are. So, put on your best smile, introduce yourself, and initiate a conversation. Don't be afraid to ask questions, share your ideas, and exchange Twitter handles.
And, if you're feeling a little lost, attend keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops to gain insights and inspiration. Networking is all about building relationships, so be genuine, be yourself, and have fun!
🎉 9 Must-Attend Tech Conferences to Get Ahead
Here are some events that will make you geek out with excitement and ignite your tech-savvy soul.
Eventyco Tech Conferences: An array of tech conferences held in the United States, covering various topics and industries within the technology sector.
Web Summit: A renowned global tech conference that brings together industry leaders, startups, and tech enthusiasts to discuss the latest trends, innovations, and opportunities in the tech world.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2023: An annual tech conference organized by TechCrunch, featuring cutting-edge startups, inspiring speakers, and exciting product launches, with a focus on disruptive technologies.
Bizzabo Technology Events: A curated list of technology events, conferences, and summits from around the world, covering various tech-related topics such as AI, blockchain, cybersecurity, and more.
10Times Technology Conferences: A comprehensive directory of technology conferences and events in the United States, covering diverse tech domains such as software development, data analytics, cloud computing, and more.
Ingram Micro Global Cloud Innovation Summit: A global cloud-focused tech conference that brings together cloud experts, partners, and industry leaders to explore the latest cloud innovations, trends, and opportunities.
IoT Tech Expo: A leading global conference and exhibition focused on the Internet of Things (IoT), featuring top speakers, cutting-edge solutions, and networking opportunities in the IoT ecosystem.
ConfsTech USA: A comprehensive tech conference directory that lists various tech events, meetups, and conferences happening in the United States, covering diverse tech domains and topics.
DevOps Enterprise Summit: Amsterdam 2023: A renowned DevOps conference that brings together DevOps practitioners, leaders, and experts to share best practices, insights, and success stories in adopting and scaling DevOps in organizations.
Google I/O: A major event that features keynote presentations, technical sessions, interactive demos, and networking opportunities for developers, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts to learn, collaborate, and stay updated with Google's latest developments. Google I/O is considered one of the premier conferences in the tech industry, attracting global attention and participation from developers and tech enthusiasts worldwide.
🤖 Upgrade Your Job Search with Perplexity.AI
Like ChatGPT, Perplexity AI is a chatbot that uses machine learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to respond to user questions. Natural Language Processing is a part of machine learning that lets computers understand and process human language.
Here are a few examples of how job seekers can use Perplexity.ai:
Networking: Perplexity can be used to analyze social media profiles and identify potential networking opportunities. For example, the platform could be used to identify people who work in a particular industry or company and suggest ways to connect with them.
Resume analysis: Job seekers can use Perplexity to analyze their resume and identify areas for improvement. For example, the platform could be used to analyze the language used in the resume and provide suggestions for more effective phrasing.
Job search optimization: Perplexity can also be used to analyze job postings and identify the most commonly used keywords and phrases for a particular role or industry. Job seekers can then use this information to optimize their resume and cover letter to better match the requirements of the job.
Interview preparation: Perplexity can analyze common interview questions and provide suggestions for effective responses. This can help job seekers better prepare for interviews and increase their chances of success.
Skill development: Perplexity can be used to identify the most in-demand skills for a particular role or industry. Job seekers can then use this information to identify areas for skill development and improve their chances of landing a job in their desired field.
📈 Initial Jobless Claims Up Again This Week

This week saw another increase in initial jobless claims*. Next week is forecasted to continue this uptrend.
Disney had previously announced cutting 7,000 jobs across 3 waves of layoffs to save $5.5 billion in costs. Its second wave came this week within its ESPN, Disney Parks, and its Experiences and Product divisions.
Meta laid off thousands as well targeting employees with technical backgrounds like user experience, software engineering, graphics programming, and other roles.
*Initial Jobless Claims measure the number of individuals who have recently filed for unemployment benefits for the first time. A higher number of initial claims indicates that more people are losing their jobs and may be struggling to find work. ‘SA’ is Seasonally Adjusted.
"What do I do?! System architecture. Network and security. No one can touch me on that. But does anyone appreciate that? It’s not magic, it’s talent and sweat. I make sure that one bad config on one key component doesn’t bankrupt the entire company. That’s what I do."

Steph
Founder @ Offboarda
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