The Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), spearheaded by AnitaB.org, serves as the seminal gathering for women in technology globally, promoting inspiration, empowerment, and gender parity advocacy. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Women in Computer Science (WICS) for awarding me a scholarship that covered crucial aspects such as tickets, accommodations, and travel, enabling my participation in this enriching event.
Key strategic preparations set the stage for a maximally beneficial GHC experience:
Optimizing Visibility with Early Resume Submission: I uploaded my resume to the GHC resume pool as early as possible to maximize recruiter exposure, a move that does not require an account and allows for later updates.
Enhancing Your LinkedIn Profile: My preparations included updating my LinkedIn profile with recent projects, skills, and experiences, prominently featuring "GHC'XX" in my headline. Suggesting attendees post about their upcoming GHC participation could potentially draw early attention from recruiters.
In-Depth Research on Sponsors: Navigating through the GHC job portal, I extensively researched sponsors, examining their missions, available roles, technologies, and visa policies. This helped me plan which booths to visit and facilitated pre-event discussions with recruiters on LinkedIn.
Mastering the Elevator Pitches: I prepared two concise elevator pitches, one 30 seconds and another for 1 minute, to effectively introduce myself during different interaction scenarios.
Pre-Travel Checklist: I printed 30 resumes but found it excessive as many companies preferred online submissions. My GHC map highlighted key company booths, and while packing, I included not only business attire but also noticed many attendees dressed in casual school hoodies or t-shirts. Ensuring enough luggage space for swag and getting ample rest the night before departure were also part of my pre-travel routine.
GHC presented a vibrant mix of learning and networking opportunities:
Engaging in Strategic Networking: The queues offered unique opportunities for networking. I shared and gathered information about companies, identifying which had engaging booths versus those that merely required a QR code scan, which I generally skipped to save time.
Booth Dynamics: I focused on booths that provided meaningful interactions, utilizing insights from preliminary research and live exchanges to guide my booth visits.
Learning and Networking during Downtime: While I recommend using downtime to attend various workshops and sessions for broader professional development and networking, personally I found myself occasionally taking lighter schedules to pace myself throughout the event.
Personal Stories and Insights: One illuminating encounter was with a professional who had navigated the tech industry as a new grad, offering valuable encouragement and job-searching advice. Another intriguing interaction was with an Amazon employee who shared her unique interview preparation method by live streaming coding sessions on TikTok, a bold strategy that ensured disciplined practice.
The post-GHC phase involved nurturing new connections and contemplating innovative ideas:
Maintaining Connections: I sent personalized follow-up emails to every new connection, reiterating our discussions and re-sending my resume.
Exploring GHC-Specific Project Ideas: Reflecting on the needs of GHC attendees, I conceptualized an open-source platform where individuals could share detailed information about sponsors. This envisioned platform would include QR codes, hiring positions, sponsorship availability, resume preferences, swag details, and technical stacks, enriched with a community-driven Q&A section. While potentially transformative, its feasibility regarding GHC policies remains to be assessed.