The Early Career Guide to SXSW: Five Business Goals to Accomplish

Are you a college student or recent grad looking to break into a chosen industry, or level up your current career? There is no better place to start than at SXSW 2024.

SXSW offers so many different areas for early career professionals to further their careers. It’s never too early to start strategizing your business goals to ensure you get the most out of your time at the event. Below are our top five business goals for early career professionals to make for the 2024 SX season.

1. Go With a Group

Attending SXSW with a group of friends or coworkers means you can cover more ground, hear more than one perspective, and feel more comfortable in larger event settings.

Bring your team of 10 or more to SXSW and save big. Once your group is registered, book hotel accommodations through SXSW Housing & Travel

Pro Tip: Booking through SXSW Housing & Travel grants registrants access to the lowest rates in Austin during SXSW. Plus, the earlier you book your travel arrangements, the more you’ll save.

2. Make a Plan

You don’t want to be caught last-minute when the event is just a few days away and you haven’t even begun to pick out which panels, sessions, and networking events you want to attend. The official SXSW Schedule and SXSW GO app will be available soon to create your own personalized schedule in advance. As event time and location details become available, your personal schedule will be automatically updated.

Learn more about our recent announced Conference Preview.

3. Visit The Networking Lounge

New for this year in the Creative Industries Expo, the Networking Lounge. A great place for you to foster connections with industry professionals and learn more about potential career opportunities. If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of creative careers, and technology or explore new horizons this lounge is the place to be.

Pro Tip: The lounge hosts events for specific industries so be sure to check the SXSW GO mobile app in advance to discover and star events that align with your professional interests.

4. Prepare an Elevator Pitch

You’ll likely be asked “So, what do you do?” about 10 times a day, especially if you’re attending our networking events. Prepare an elevator pitch that summarizes your current role, what you do, and your long term goals.

Pro Tip: Bring extra business cards. If you run out, no fear. Search the SXSW GO mobile app's attendee directory to star connections and send direct messages.

5. Recap

It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of SXSW and wind up not remembering half of it. A great way to refresh your memory of each day’s events is to gather with your team for a happy hour and recap the highlights of each session. You never know what you might’ve missed!

Register for SXSW 2024

Join thousands of other attendees deep in the heart of Austin, Texas from March 8-16, 2024 to celebrate the convergence of the tech, film, and music industries.

Market Your Brand at SXSW

Position your brand on one of the world’s largest stages. For SXSW 2024, there are a variety of exclusive marketing opportunities including Sponsorships, Exhibitions, Digital Advertising, and Custom Opportunities to help your business achieve its goals. Learn more about Marketing at SXSW and contact us today to find your brand's perfect fit.

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SXSW 2023 – Photo by Tico Mendoza