It’s no coincidence that the word “conference” sounds similar to “conversation.” When you find yourself in a space full of like-minded people, you’re going to have a lot to talk about. After engaging in countless formal and informal discussions, you will probably leave your conference feeling inspired, with a renewed sense of excitement about your industry and the role you play in it. But if the conference brings about no tangible changes, if it was all talk and no action, that excitement will eventually deflate like a balloon. FullConTech is not that kind of conference, and we have the record to prove it.

Last September, we gathered a diverse group of more than 300 people from across Washington to draft a playbook for the future of our state’s technology-driven economy. After a warm-up speech by NBA and U.S. Olympic coach Lenny Wilkins, we split everyone into teams to tackle different challenges that are currently facing our industry. We then identified three major plays that could address some of those challenges to pursue in 2016. Below are updates on how executing those plays is coming along. (Spoiler alert: very well.)

Play 1: Develop a Standard Taxonomy of Tech Jobs

With so much creativity in job descriptions and so little transparency in the recruiting process, it can be difficult for job-seekers, recruiters, and hiring managers to get on the same page. So we’ve set out to help students, educators, and adults in career transition make more informed decisions by publishing a standard description of common tech jobs, along with the skills required to be effective in those positions.

We have evaluated 30 different job descriptions for the same position: software developer. We’ve looked at technical skills and now we’re in the process of incorporating soft skills into our description.  Are you a tech recruiter who wants to help? Let us know. If you’re an educator or student who would benefit from this information, drop us a line and let us share our knowledge with you.  

Play 2: Host a Level-Playing-Field Career Fair

During a facilitated breakout session at last year’s FullConTech, educators expressed frustration with the notion of a “talent gap,” the widespread belief that tech is currently dealing with a lack of talent. They said that many students from lesser-known schools are often overlooked for jobs, which perpetuates not only the perceived lack of talent in tech but also the very really lack of diversity.

We decided to host a level-playing-field career fair called “Draft Day” to push back against the status quo. We started by inviting non-top-tier schools from all over the state to send in their nominations, and the 86 we received participated in “blind” interviews with recruiters to eliminate biases against their educational backgrounds and identities. The 16 finalists – which included ten women, two veterans, and six racial minorities – had the chance to speak with leaders from small and mid-sized Seattle tech companies like Base2, Forum One, and Redfin.

All of the finalists fared well; twelve received interviews and four received “red shirts,” meaning they would be offered an interview when a position they were qualified for opened up. Since then, five of the finalists have been offered and accepted jobs from participating companies.

Play 3: Brand the Puget Sound as a Great Place to Work, Live, and Start a Business

You already know how special this region is. It’s about time the rest of the world did, too. We saw the need to play our part in showing startup founders and other top tech talent from around the world why Seattle is such an exciting place to be, both inside and outside the office…and why they should bring their valuable talents Washington-side.

One big branding effort in this vein is the Seattle Tech Universe Map, which we released with Madrona Venture Group in December 2015. It  shows the interconnectedness of tech companies in Washington state. Microsoft President Brad Smith showed the map at the World Economic Forum in Davos to illustrate the richness of Seattle’s tech hub. We are currently working on an interactive version powered by Tableau, which was a founding sponsor for 2015 FullConTech.

That’s why we support Challenge Seattle, a team of CEOs from the region led by former governor Christine Gregoire.  Our first effort was to produce a short video to showcase the greater Seattle Metro as a global innovation leader. The team at Challenge Seattle used this video to attract investment for the new GIX initiative that is expected to launch in Bellevue by fall of 2017.

Inspired?

We had a feeling you might be. FullConTech 2015 not only kicked off important conversations, but delivered on them. And we’re doing it again on October 3rd, 2016. Register today to attend or volunteer and help meaningfully shape Seattle’s tech landscape for the upcoming year.

Be part of 2016 FullConTech. Register here.