How to Convince Your Boss to Send You to a Conference

By IEEE Computer Society Team on

April 2, 2024

Convince Your Boss to Send You to a Conference Start with a brief outline of the conference, the focus, and how it relates to your work and the goals of your organization.

If the response is positive, continue to give a second level overview that includes specific sessions of interest.

Keep your focus on specific gains, such as how a session targeting a new technology would tangibly benefit your work and your team.

Be ready to respond to questions, including those about how the time away will impact your daily responsibilities, your projects in progress, and your team.

When You Can’t Get to “Yes”

Some companies will cover partial costs of a conference, such as the registration fees, but won’t cover lodging or travel fees. At that point, you might have to weigh the benefits to your own education and career when deciding if you want to cover the balance.

And, after all your good work, you still might get a flat no. In that case, see if the conference offers virtual sessions. If so, funding might be available for that. You can then share what you learn with your team and your boss. Done right, this can serve as a proof-of-concept for the tangible gains possible with in-person attendance next time.

Starting Points

IEEE Computer Society hosts numerous conferences each year that deliver on their value for attendees and their organizations. Among these conferences are the following:

For more information on other events, see IEEE Computer Society’s Conferences page, which features a month-by-month listing of sponsored events.