Day 8: Ask for approval and funding to attend a relevant conference
Conferences are goldmines for learning, networking, and bringing fresh ideas back to your team. But your company benefits too.
๐๐๐ธ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ.
Even if itโs your first one, or the cost feels high - itโs worth making the case.
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒโ๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐: "I'd like to attend [conference name] because it focuses on [relevant technology/skills]. I expect to learn about [specific topics] that would directly benefit our work on [current projects]. I'd also present learnings to the team and explore potential partnerships or vendor relationships."
๐๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฑ๐ฒ:
๐ Conference agenda showing relevant sessions
๐ Estimated total cost (registration, travel, accommodation)
๐ Any speaking or networking opportunities
Many companies have unused budget for this. If the big-ticket one is a no, suggest a local event or virtual option.
๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐ฝ: Offer to write a blog post or give a presentation about your experience. It shows you're thinking about ROI for the company.
This is how you turn personal development into team value. Ask with confidence.
๐ Liked this post? Follow me on LinkedIn or here on Substack for the remaining posts in this series and more!
โ Want to get even better at asking? I still have a limited number of seats left in the July 25 cohort of my course. Last cohort of this year! https://maven.com/chaitali-narla/outstanding-tech-career