Hi everyone,
I’m truly grateful to have received the endorsement on my second attempt, just five days after my initial rejection (which took about 4 weeks for a response). On my second try, I heard back in just 2 weeks. So, my advice would be: don’t give up. Keep trying until you make it.
1st attempt
Submitted on 23rd Sept
Rejected notice on 17th Oct
2nd attempt
Submitted on 21st Oct
Received Endorsement notice on 1st November
I’d like to share my experience to hopefully help others—I was initially rejected for the Tech Nation endorsement. Looking back, I realized I hadn’t followed the guidelines closely, and my evidence was not well-organized to support my claim. After receiving feedback in the proforma and gaining insights here, I restructured my application, reapplied, and this time, I succeeded.
For my second attempt, I made sure my Letters of Recommendation and evidence (4 for Mandatory Criteria and 3 each for two Optional Criteria, totaling 10 pieces) were closely aligned with Tech Nation’s guidelines. I carefully kept each piece within the 3-page limit and focused on clearly demonstrating achievements, impact, and specific metrics. This approach allowed me to show how I met both the Mandatory Criteria and two Optional Criteria (OC1 and OC3) under the Exceptional Talent category.
Here’s what I included in my second application:
CV & Personal Statement
Letters of Recommendation
- SVP who has known me for over 10 years and followed my career journey (newly acquired)
- VP from Company A (existing from 1st application)
- GM from Company B (existing from 1st application)
Mandatory Criteria (MC)
- Design Patent (with my name) at Company A
- High remuneration at Company A
- IAA Jury panelist position
- IDEA Gold Design Award linked to the product/design patent mentioned above. My name isn’t listed due to Company A’s policy, but I provided a screenshot from my VP’s LoR to support this.
Optional Criteria 1 (OC1)
- High remuneration at Company B
- iF Design Award A (with my name) for Product A innovation, showcased at IFA show, with news clippings, sales figures, and market impact.
- iF Design Award B (with my name) for Product B innovation, with news clippings on product launch, market impact, sales figures, and market response.
Optional Criteria 3 (OC3)
- Employment contract and salary information from Company C (above average based on Glassdoor data for similar roles in Company C)
- LoR from Design Director at Company C (existing from 1st application), highlighting my design leadership and commercial contributions
- Web Digital Enhancement Release document to support the impact mentioned in LoR
My advice: thoroughly read the guidelines, choose your criteria carefully, and make sure each piece of evidence clearly demonstrates how you meet the requirements for the Mandatory and Optional Criteria you’ve selected for your evidences.
Lastly, all the best to you all who plan to apply, is applying or waiting for a response from Tech Nation. You can do it.
