Jen Bower was one of the recent graduates of the Couch to Conference programme, a course run by the Aspiring Women Speakers and powered by RecWorks. As part of this course we offer a series of workshops and mentoring sessions which provide attendees a chance to learn and practice the skills they need to get started. Jen passed through the whole thing with flying colours. We spent a bit of time trying to understand how she felt it went.
In this Q&A piece, she discusses how the programme has helped her overcome imposter syndrome, develop her public speaking skills, and pursue speaking opportunities with more confidence.
Q: What made you want to participate in the Couch to Conference programme?
A: I wanted to challenge myself to speak at a tech conference, but I had a mental block about not being technical enough. When I heard about the programme, I thought it would be a great opportunity to overcome my insecurities and develop my public speaking skills.
Q: Has the programme helped you with your public speaking? If so, how?
A: The programme has been incredibly helpful in boosting my confidence and giving me practical tools to improve my public speaking. Through the workshops, I've learned how to identify ideas, craft talks of varying lengths, and create a CFP. The safe space provided by the friendly audience has allowed me to practice and apply the techniques I've learned. The most significant takeaway has been overcoming my imposter syndrome, which was a direct result of the programme.
Q: The course had 5 workshops which gradually led you from lightning talks, through to building longer talks, building slide decks and submitting CFP’s. How were these workshops for you?
A: The workshops were my favourite part of the programme. Barry, the instructor, shared useful tools and templates that have helped me become more confident in my ability to present ideas effectively. I particularly appreciated the way he shared his skills, enthusiasm, passion, and generosity, which have been a real gift to the tech community.
Q: During the programme you were given a buddy, could you tell us what your buddy experience was like? Was having a buddy a helpful aspect of the programme?
A: Abbi, my buddy, did a fantastic job of encouraging, coaxing, and motivating me. She was an excellent source of support throughout the programme. Having a single point of contact was useful, and I found it helpful to have someone to share my progress and setbacks with.
Q: As part of the course you participated in 4 mentoring sessions. What did you think of these sessions?
A: The mentoring sessions were valuable in providing insights from a diverse group of strong female speakers. I enjoyed hearing about their varied experiences and journeys, which have inspired me to pursue speaking opportunities outside my comfort zone. I do think it would be good to include speakers in the tech industry outside of the dev/engineering/coding ‘track’ too, such as product owners, business analysts, project managers, etc.
Q: Is there anything else that you would like to share about your experience with Couch to Conference?
A: The programme has been the single biggest thing I've done to overcome my mental block about not being technical enough. I've learned to celebrate the skills and experiences I have, rather than focusing on what I'm not. The programme has helped me develop a growth mindset and pursue speaking opportunities with more confidence.
Jen's experience with the Couch to Conference programme is a testament to the power of learning and growth. Through the programme, she has overcome her insecurities and developed the skills and confidence necessary to pursue speaking opportunities with more enthusiasm and passion. Her experience is an inspiration to anyone looking to develop their public speaking skills and overcome imposter syndrome.
Jen Bower
Country Lead
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