Yesterday was Global Talent Acquisition Day. That means there were events, webinars, tweets, shout-outs, virtual high-fives, and all sorts of self-congratulatory acts among TA professionals. Well-deserved, too. This year has been tough; yet so many in our field have risen to tackle new challenges and solve new problems. We’re all struggling, and there ain’t nothing wrong with recognizing each other as people and as professionals during today’s messy times.
But now the lively GIFs of yesterday have faded. The hashtags of our profession’s holiday have receded. Today is the day after. Now what?
Now we return to focus on the work. Hard work, at that, as uncertainty and volatility continue to tussle with hope and optimism as we persist through the pandemic. To get through these times, it’s important to have the support of your colleagues, as well as the right information and insights to help you make better decisions for the good of your career, your function, and your business.
Which brings me to ERE Digital 2.0, happening Oct 20 – 21. Is this article a plug for the event? You bet it is. Because the event is designed to do exactly what I just mentioned — provide you with an experience to connect with peers and ensure you come away with knowledge and advice you can implement at your own company.
Of course, there are lots of virtual events happening right now, so why (besides getting a glimpse of my growing mullet) come to ERE Digital 2.0? What makes us different?
- For TA, by TA. This is a practitioner-led event. Almost all presenters are TA professionals working in the trenches. Their work is your work. This is a great opportunity to learn from mistakes and successes of speakers who will tell it like it is. Instead of gurus spouting grand theories, our presenters will talk about what they actually did — and didn’t do — at their own organizations to inspire actions at yours.
2. Independence: This is not a software user conference, nor are we beholden to any vendors. Which isn’t to say that TA tech providers aren’t important. They’re extremely important to the future of recruiting — but we are not beholden to them.
3. Fearlessness. We’ve all been to events where speakers seem to regurgitate the same, old, obvious “best practices.” The truth is that you don’t need to sit through yet another boring session about the perils of ghosting candidates or some other topic brimming with platitudes. At ERE Digital 2.0, we’re tackling a range of important, complex, and controversial subjects to help you navigate through the gray. Sessions include:
- Can Recruiting Fix Your Company’s Culture? Let’s Debate This! Culture change happens when you hire people to create the culture you want. Right? Wrong? Maybe? Let the debate begin! Get ready for a provocative discussion as consultant and TA leader Mary Faulkner and recruiter Keirsten Greggs examine the role that recruiters play — or don’t play — when it comes to impacting culture, particularly to achieve workplace diversity, inclusion, and equity. Warning: This session may cause discomfort. And that’s a good thing.
- Modernizing TA for Your Organization. Imagine revamping TA in your organization. Now imagine doing it during a pandemic. Courtney Jones and Dee Brogan of Nielsen are helping to do just that. And yes, it’s every bit as challenging and exhilarating and scary and exciting as you might imagine. Discover how they and their team are advancing TA at their organization and how you can do the same at yours.
- A No Cliché, No BS Guide to Employer Branding During a Pandemic. In these unprecedented times. Now more than ever. We’re all in this together. Companies are continuing to trot out the same clichés during the pandemic, but platitudes are not the stuff of great employer branding right now. So what is? How should you be doing employer branding differently during today’s crisis?
- The Big Cover-Up: Helping Candidates Reveal Rather Than Conceal Their Best Selves. When many minority candidates come in for interviews, are they bringing their best selves that might be anything but? Chances are, many are adjusting their behaviors so that you will welcome them despite, not because of, who they truly are — so that you won’t think they’re too black, too gay, too Muslim, too you-name-it. Join Madison Butler, VP of people and culture at Sourced Craft Cocktails, to learn what you can do to create an atmosphere of inclusion.
- The Most Completely Ordinary, Totally Extraordinary Recruiting Story You’ll Ever Hear. After escaping an abusive marriage, Detra Thomas moved north from Arkansas to start a new life. After becoming a coffee barista in Brooklyn, her connection with customer Eric Pliner led to an unexpected turn in Detra’s journey. What happened next illustrates everything that is — or should be — at the heart of recruiting. Join Detra and Eric to experience their amazing story.
Here’s the deal: The world has changed. Recruiting has changed. But one thing has not: ERE’s reputation for bringing together the best of talent acquisition — from speakers to participants to TA tech vendors.
That tradition continues with ERE Digital 2.0. We’re not changing what we’re doing. We’re changing how we’re doing it. And we’d love to see you there. Register here!