How to prepare for your next recruiting event in Chicago
By Marina PetrenkoFounder, OutGeek Women in Tech · 7 min read
Chicago is friendly and practical. Hiring teams here like candidates who talk about results in plain terms: what you fixed, what it saved, who it helped.
What the night looks like
OutGeek events are a little different from the city’s big conferences. An OutGeek evening usually runs 6:00 to 8:30 PM at the host company’s office. Hiring teams give short presentations about what they’re building and who they need. Then comes speed networking: quick, focused conversations with recruiters and engineering leads. The rest of the night is open networking with food and drinks.
Around 90 to 150 people are on the guest list: software engineers, AI and data people, cybersecurity pros, product managers and designers, most with three or more years of experience.
Before the event: research the teams
A few days before the event, OutGeek emails you the details on each participating team: who they are, what they’re building and the roles they’re hiring for. Use it. Visit each team’s website, read their open roles, and apply to the ones that fit before you walk in. Recruiters remember the people already in their system.
Then pick the two or three teams you most want to meet and spend 20 minutes on each: what they shipped this year, any team news they’ve posted, and one question you can’t answer from their careers page.
Check the market too. If a company just cut a team, you’ll want to know before you ask about it. Our Chicago hiring and cuts tracker and the latest layoffs report are a good place to start.
The week of: your 30 seconds
Write an introduction you can say in 30 seconds: what you do, one result you’re proud of, and the kind of role you want next. Say it out loud until it sounds like you and not like a cover letter.
- Update your LinkedIn headline so it matches your introduction.
- Save your LinkedIn QR code to your phone’s home screen.
- Keep a one-page resume as a PDF you can send from your phone on the spot.
Getting there in Chicago
Most host offices are in the Loop, River North and Fulton Market. The L gets you close to all three: the Brown and Purple Lines stop at Merchandise Mart, and the Green and Pink Lines serve Fulton Market. Metra brings you in from the suburbs. In winter, the wind off the lake is real, so dress for it.
“I can teach someone a new framework much faster than I can teach them how to communicate.” A recruiter at one of our 2026 events
On the night
Listen to the team presentations. They’re the best clue for what to ask afterwards. In a speed interview, lead with the role you want, then your one result, then your question. Five minutes goes fast.
Good questions are specific: what the team is shipping this quarter, how they work with AI tools, what the first 90 days in the role look like. Before you move on, ask who to follow up with and how.
No speed interviews at this event? Talk to recruiters right after the keynotes, while the talk is fresh. Open with something the speaker said, then give your 30-second introduction. Hiring teams usually stay near the stage for the first few minutes, so don’t wait for the food line to clear.
The 48 hours after
Follow up within two days, while they still remember you. Mention one thing you talked about, attach your resume and link the role. Then apply through the listing. Many teams can only move you forward once you’re in their system. Fresh roles are on OutGeek jobs, updated daily.
Didn’t get a business card? Here’s a small secret: most company emails follow the same pattern, usually firstname.lastname@company.com or firstname@company.com. Guess the format, send a short, friendly follow-up, and see who writes back. Worst case, it bounces and you try the next one.
And remember the recruiter is a person too. They just spent three hours talking to a hundred people, smiling through every handshake, and went home as tired as you did. Keep your note short and kind, don’t send three reminders in a week, and give them a few days to reply. The people who get remembered are usually the ones who were easy to talk to.
Not every conversation turns into an interview. Some turn into a mentor or a referral six months later. Keep in touch either way.