Back in 2020, many Black professionals felt like they didn’t have much say in their careers. We were reacting to the uncertainty of the world — understandably so — awaiting guidance from companies, accepting less than stellar pay and putting our professional passions on hold to prioritize stability. It’s been a grind, it’s okay to feel it and you’re not alone. Fast forward to 2024, Black professionals are ready to take back their power over their careers. LinkedIn research found that just over 40% of us feel that we’re underpaid, and despite the most competitive job market in recent years, Black professionals are thinking about changing jobs. In fact, in 2024, Black professionals are THE MOST LIKELY group to consider a job move (90%). Conventional wisdom has always told us to work twice as hard if you want to survive — particularly in tough economic times. We’ve been conditioned to attempt to out-sweat everyone else — just to survive, and it has led to Black professionals assuming...

Thousands of conferences happen each year in the United States, but there is something special about AFROTECH. With thousands of technologists, professionals, and entrepreneurs descending in one place across several days, the conference presents a unique opportunity for attendees to return to their respective spaces better than they left them. One of the many ways betterment shows up is through the power of relationships. Because there is so much diversity in who shows up to AFROTECH, leaving a conference of that magnitude without intentionally connecting would be a huge missed opportunity. Thankfully, many people have figured out that tapping into community is one of the many cheat codes to success. Cultivating relationships with those you met at AFROTECH could be the catalyst to changing your future.

If securing top-tier talent during AFROTECH Conference is on your to-do list, then you have the right idea. With over 20,000 attendees scheduled to be at AFROTECH, there will be unlimited potential walking through the exhibit hall, looking to land their next role. This moment serves as a prime opportunity to staff organizations. While the end result may be employment, how companies attract talent is a critical step. From the booth’s design to the recruiters’ authenticity, all points of contact matter when seeking to add people to your teams. With the job market in flux, on-site interviews can be the perfect opportunity to tap into interested job seekers to make a pivot or start fresh in their careers.

The separation of work and personal life can be challenging for some. In the wake of the pandemic, various roles were shifted and employees had to learn how to work remotely. As of July 2023, data from WFH Research states 12% of full-time employees were fully remote and 29% are in a hybrid arrangement. A 2022 survey revealed nearly half of remote workers struggled with work-life balance. Charter Communications’ Principal Service Designer Jeneba Wint believes adopting the mindset of integrating life into your work, and not the other way around, will be key to finding a happy medium. “I don’t believe in balance because I’m not putting this job before my life. So, I just find ways where integrated work can be integrated into my life,” Wint told AfroTech. We’ve created a list of helpful tips derived from Wint and Blavity Inc. Co-Founder and COO Jeff Nelson on what can be done to improve work-life balance.

Interviews are a chance for job seekers to prove that they are the cream of the crop. Ultimately, the goal is to leave a lasting impression that will result in you waking up to an email reading, “You’re hired!” Yet, it’s not always an easy journey to those introductory words as the job market is flooded with candidates looking to be hired. Ninety-six percent of workers are looking to secure a new job in 2023, according to data released on Monster.com. What’s more, 66% of workers believe finding a new job will be difficult. “This is phenomenally high,” even when set against the record highs of the “ great resignation,” Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster, said per CNBC. Due to the fluctuating state of the economy, it is especially important to ensure that you stay sharp as you seek employment. AfroTech spoke exclusively with Jade Walters, an employer brand specialist and the creator of the social platform The Ninth Semester, which focuses on Generation Z college students looking...

The old saying goes, “it takes money to make money.” That sentiment is usually engrained in the idea that much economic success does not occur without some investment. But how does investment happen? A straightforward answer to that question is sales. Many of a particular generation remember when someone in our family sold a home good or cosmetic product (shout out to all the Mary Kay reps). This was likely the first introduction to the sales industry. But beyond the aunties that were hustling their products, sales have always existed in and around people. From big corporate companies to nonprofits and the tech industry – securing contracts, partnerships, and investment is a result of the work of people who are a part of sales teams. While the job market is all over the place, the sales industry is positioned to remain intact. But it does not come without challenges. Due to the potential for professionals to have lucrative careers, the demand for the industry has been consistent...

For decades, America has dealt with the horror of systems that plague the progression of certain groups. No matter the issue, there has been little shortage in the struggle to fight for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across a spectrum of sectors. Like any system riddled with backward thinking, the people impacted the most grow tired of the struggle and gain the strength to fight for what is owed to them. From slave revolts to the Civil Rights Movement to Women’s suffrage to the Stonewall Uprising — when people have had enough, they come together to demand change. Although the systemic oppressive nature of America has not been alleviated, the work of those who fight to dismantle said systems has caught the attention of certain politicians, policymakers, and companies. While some are just catching on, many have been side by side in the fight, creating space for equality to ring free. Although Meta doesn’t claim to get it all right, the tech giant is working to create a culture...

There are many paths to success in tech, but the most notorious is software development and engineering.  We want to introduce you to Makho Ngazimbi, a software development manager with Amazon Web Services. Amazon Web Services helps businesses scale and grow by offering secure cloud services on its platform along with database storage and more. Makho’s team of engineers is responsible for making sure that the operating system is distributing to all the data centers. Makho spoke with Will Lucas at AfroTech about his journey into tech and what he wants other Black professionals to know when venturing into the field. One of the proudest responsibilities that Makho has is in recruiting Black engineers into tech. Resources like Amazon’s Black Employee Network have allowed him to be hands-on in recruiting, retaining, and even advancing Black talent in engineering. “There’s a lot of programs that I am really proud of and [recruiting] is actually a huge passion of mine,” said Makho. If...