MC1: Evidence of speaking at high-profile digital technology sector events, or specialist events.
Evidence:
Video Clip: A video clip from a major UK business event where I spoke as a guest speaker, sharing the experiences and journey of an African startup I was part of (which is now incorporated in the UK and I am part of its directors - although a few months old in the UK). The event was attended by over 150 guests, including business leaders and policymakers.
Reference Letter from the Event Organizer: A reference letter highlighting the event’s date, why I was invited as a guest speaker, the relevance of the event to the business and tech sector, and the impact my speech created.
Reference Letter from an Industry Tech Expert: A reference letter from a tech expert at a successful UK company, discussing the impact of the event, its relevance to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and tech sector at large, and their recommendations.
OC2: How do I demonstrate that I have been recognised for my work outside of my immediate occupation that contributed to the advancement of the sector?
Evidence:
Mentorship Journey Report: A report documenting my mentorship of three candidates for over six months through a major UK product manager platform. This includes candidate profiles, challenges faced, a screenshot showing several meeting sessions via Google Meet, and an assessment report (based on a survey form shared with the mentees and report copy shared with the platform organisers) it also features testimonials and the impact of my mentorship on their careers.
Reference Letter from the Organisation: A reference letter from the organisation running the platform, acknowledging my valuable contribution, reviewing the impact based on the assessment report from the mentees, and discussing how this has contributed to the ecosystem at large.
Virtual Event as a Facilitator and Guest Speaker: I spoke for over 30 minutes at a virtual event attended live by over 100 product management professionals, with over 1,000 event registrations. Evidence includes a screenshot of the registration on the event platform, a screenshot of live participants, and a link to the video of the event on YouTube, along with screenshots of positive feedback from attendees - screenshot.
Reference Letter from the Organisers: A reference letter from the organisers, who are part of a major community of product managers with 10,000 professionals in their ecosystem.
OC3: I have made significant technical, commercial, or entrepreneurial contributions.
Evidence:
User-Centric Design Framework for Startup Web App: Documentation of the design concept, a Canva wireframe of the full app designs with attributions showing that I designed it, and user testimonials and feedback on the new design - link to the live platform which is now in the market showing the incorporated design.
Major Feature Redesign Within the App: Evidence includes documentation of the design concept, a Canva wireframe of the full app designs with attributions showing that I designed it, and user testimonials and feedback on the redesign. screenshot of the live platform which is now in the market showing the incorporated design (unfortunately, this can be accesseded by paid members only).
Partnerships Closed: Documentation of three major partnerships I have closed, one being with a significant UK company that now allows my startup to list its products on the company’s marketplace. Evidence includes three signed contracts and a link to our company’s products in the UK company’s marketplace.
I think some of your evidence should be merged as single evidence. Video plus letters from organiser should be a single piece of evidence. The mentorship is not structured
Hey @Vincent_Okeke, MC evidence is a bit weak. Try to strengthen it so that it shows you as a leader outside of your main job - do you have editorials written by you, news articles about any products you led, more speaking events, paneliste events you were part of, events where you were invited as judge, awards, major contributions for a product etc.? You should add as much variety to MC as possible to give a sureshot picture of a leader who has made LOTS of contributions (and not just a few).
In OC2, you should further solidify mentoring evidence - was this programme structured with a selection criteria for mentors? Were there mentoring sessions with fixed curriculum? Were there other mentors besides you who are also reputed in their fields? Include all this info.
OC3: Besides qualitative feedback, you should quantitative impact as well (increase in user retention/engagement due to your designs, better conversion rates etc.). Map it to the overall success of product such as “due to my design changes, no. of active users increased by X%” etc.)
MC: you are pretty much talking of 1 event in all 3 evidences. This is not 3 different evidences proving you as a leader, this is one evidence split into 9 pages and 3 different documents that can actually be clubbed into 1.
You should have 2-3 more unique distinct evidences in MC for it to be strong.
Same case in OC2: you have 2 unique evidences but split into 4 documents which can actually be merged into just 2 documents (1 each for one unique project).
OC3 stories seem fine but lack third party validation. It looks like only self-claims. Please ensure you highlight your own significant contribution in each along with quantified impact and should have atleast 1 support letters who can validate your claims, any other external evidence mentioning your name. #2 that can be accessed by paid members only will be a challenge as the assessor won’t be able to validate it at all.
Hi Francisa, could please help with the following:
Notable international expert resource platforms that connects subject matter experts with their clients have engaged me on a number of projects, to provide expert insights to their clients, majorly around digital technology field I am specialised on. Hourly rates is around $650, and I have many of this kind of consultations and evidence of payments at that hourly rate. Can this be an evidence for MC1?
Please see my update evidence and share your feedback.
Mandatory: MC1
**Video speaking in a notable event in the UK, on a digital technology product I am a co-founder on. Over 100 people are present, high-profile people. + Reference Letter the event organiser (this letter is a year old although addressed to Tech Nation) + Referece Letter from a digital technology expert discuss about the event, my speak and the benefit.
Another digital technology I was previously an employee with, and later a director (I don’t have an equity though). Evidence includes government document showing directorship although with zero equity + Product Requirement Document on a key product I worked on for the company. + Company admin board showing number of sales generated from that feature directly + reference letter from the company CEO
Three media features from 3 reputable media (from Nigeria though), talking about my work. (Two of the news media features talks about the product I was speaking in the event above while the 3rd one talks the second evidence I am a non-equity director on).
Optional Criteria: OC2
Invited by a major job board in Nigeria to share my job search blue print. Evidence includes: Screenshot of event platform showing where it was published with over 500 registrations, video of the webinar (now published on my YouTube), screenshot during the webinar showing 75 people present (a total of 120 people attended live although some left halfway) + Reference letter from the job board.
**Mentorship Journey Report (Application process for the mentorship, acceptable process, structure of the programme, candidates LinkedIn, Assessment Impact survey report screenshot and link - a candidate confirmed to have gained a promotion, screenshot of a candidate who confirmed to have gained a new job offer as a Product Manager) + Reference Letter. This is primarily online though and I am aware that physical meeting is now preferred, but a lot of efforts was put into this and I still intend to submit it.
**OPEd - A total of 4 Articles published on a reputable blog, a technology sector leading blog. (Well-detailed, professional writer level, with references).
**Featured in an article in a reputable media which listed me alongside other trailblazers in a sector. Talked briefly about my work, including some of my work outside my normal work.
Optional Criteria: OC3
Entrepreneurial Contribution: User-Centric design (with Canva) of the product the media had talked about in MC1, which I also spoke about in MC1. + Good User Testimonials and Feedback in a survey + Company incorporation in the UK with equity (85%). + App design for the product which I also talked about as my second evidence in M1. The design in a Figma which attribution showing me as the design and a link to the app showing the design live.
5 notable partnerships and collaborations for the company products. Evidence include contracts.
Matric Boards (Showing User acquisitions, customer subscriptions)
Are you applying as exceptional talent or promise. I think you speaking event needs to be clear that you were invited because of your expert knowledge on the field. If your company sponsored the conference, it may not count. The expert paid sessions may be useful but it depends on how you present the evidence, I have seen it used in a previous application I reviewed. News clipping about your work is fine but how recent are your evidence?
For OC2, online mentoring is no longer sufficient. Reference letter and supporting evidence related to your virtual event should be merged as a single evidence. For OC3 most of your evidence are self-authored, no third party validation of your work.
Thank you very much for feedback. Not as sponsored event, i was invited based on my expertise on the subject area. I am applying for Exceptional Talent. The news clippings are recent. Thanks for other observations.
