Within 8 hours of a Saturday —October 21st, 2023— CareerBuddy created a playground for tech employees and employers in Lagos. It’s called CareerBuddy Fest.
How it felt: like you are at work; to work and have fun —not two extreme ends, but in very equal measures. And that’s how the fest carves a distinct path for itself from other networking events within the startup ecosystem.
CareerBuddy Fest aimed for two goals: on one hand, to offer young tech professionals across all levels the opportunity to network and have conversations with industry leaders on work-related issues. And on the other hand, to bring employers of these professionals in one space to discuss talent management strategies and hire new talents on their teams.
But if we limit the description of the event to that, then it’s not a first of its kind. So, here’s how CareerBuddy Fest differentiates itself from other tech and networking events: it blends work and fun, creating a relaxed and super-friendly atmosphere where junior and senior-level professionals can mix.
For three years in a row, the event has evolved from an indoor hang-out into a larger scale, offering attendees more value each year. Formerly known as WorkitOut with CareerBuddy, the event got a new name, CareerBuddy Fest for its third edition.
What was the goal of the CareerBuddy Fest from the onset?
Simply; to help African professionals change the way they think about work.
One-third of the average person’s life is spent working, and work-life is laced with hard work and the constant push to succeed. So, what if there was a better way to navigate work-life, having fun while at it, and doing it in a healthy and purposeful environment with great rewards?
WorkItOut with CareerBuddy was one of the solutions to this puzzle, and the event was created to help young Africans enjoy their work life, one edition at a time.
Three editions later, and there’s been a lot of growth.
In 2023, the name changed to CareerBuddy Fest, reflecting all the additions to its itinerary:
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Breakout sessions: One of the major highlights of the event was the different breakout sessions that attendees had the liberty to choose from. With top industry leaders and seasoned professionals as facilitators, the sessions included:
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From Novice to Techie: Insider Tips for Breaking into Tech,
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Elevating Your Impact: Building an Executive Presence for C-Suite Success (for managers, CEOS, senior and mid-level employees),
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Building wealth, Side Hustles, and chasing unconventional career paths as a 9-5er,
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Navigating the Future: Strategies for Success in AI and Web3 Career Transitions,
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And Building great workplaces; sharing best practices.
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Speed hiring: Hiring managers looking to meet and possibly hire talents for their teams were around to network, conduct on-the-spot interviews, or start conversations about the next steps. (add pictures)
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Speed dating: Dating within the workspace? Maybe not a bad idea. Work schedule is rather uptight, and many professionals get very little time to build romantic connections. So, a section of the event was dedicated to creating a fun and romantic ambiance for attendees to date and spark long-term romantic relationships.
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Career counseling & interview Prep with HR officials and senior-level executives
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and an after-party
Being a tech-driven recruitment company itself, CareerBuddy identifies the nuances of the startup ecosystem.
Its B2B service connects fast-rising startups within Africa with top-performing candidates and promising entry-level talents and makes the hiring process hassle-free.
On the other hand, Its B2C arm is a multi-channel that provides employees and prospective employees with a vibrant community across different channels —Instagram, newsletter, YouTube, a blog— while connecting them with career opportunities.
And with the Fest, CareerBuddy makes sure it brings these two audiences into a single space and caters to them adequately.
What’s next for the CareerBuddy Fest?
The vision gets broader, and as each year passes, the execution gets even more daunting but possible. Thanks to the sponsors and the team of speakers. Right now, Artificial Intelligence and economic instability —mostly devaluation, sadly— are the lenses through which we can look into the future of work. For the next edition, CareerBuddy Fest will bring youngsters together again to foster conversations around this while taking a moment in the coming year to “chill and unwind” from the pressures of the 9-5 life.
Would you like to sponsor or partner with CareerBuddy for the next edition of CareerBuddy Fest? The portal is open, and Leelee would like to chat with you.
