We are a couple of weeks away from the amazing, awesome annual swarming of HR professionals on some unsuspecting city - where mayhem erupts, laughs are heard, best practices are shared and new innovations shown! If you can't tell - I really love the annual conference!
If you haven't been before and/or want some tips to make the most of the conference - here are some key ones!
1. Decide what sessions you are going to ahead of time!
There are over 200 sessions, and they are all great! SHRM does a fantastic job making sure the speakers chosen are offering relevant content, and the speakers all have to submit proof of performance in order to make sure they are also great speakers. So if you wait until you get to the show to decide which sessions you will listen - you probably will get overwhelmed. How overwhelmed? How about this - there are 18 sessions that involve social media alone! I also heard there is a great conference on HR Standards (Shameless plug for the one I am in.....)
Tip: Use the conference website and create your own agenda and pre-pick the sessions you want to attend. http://annual.shrm.org/conference-glance
2. Make time to walk the exhibit floor!
I will get to the more business, oriented strategic stuff later - but just walk the floor! Wander the booths, and grab some goodies! It is just fun, and a little overwhelming as the annual floor show is huge. Like 700 vendors huge.
3. Bring lots of business cards.
Okay, there are several good reasons to bring business cards - networking, trying to win ipads on the floor, networking, trying to win ipads on the floor.. you get the gist..
4. Visit the #HRCI Lounge
If you have your PHR, SPHR or GPHR - then you ought to save some time to drop by the lounge. They always have great snacks, and they have counselors there to check on your recertification!
5. The #DICE Hive
If you have been trying to figure out social media, the Hive is a volunteer run place where you can talk with speakers, bloggers, and technologists on how to use Social Media, and even set up your own twitter account.
6. Bring comfortable shoes!
Attire is pretty business casual - so make sure to wear comfortable shoes! You will be doing lots of walking, so don't make yourself miserable by wearing heels (I know I won't)
7. Strategic use of vendor time!
Every vendor who is in HR is at the show - so if you are trying to learn about an area, look at vendors, or actively looking to procure services - this is the time to do it! Now here is the secret - contact the vendors ahead of time and make appointments! That way you get to see the demo you want, when you have time.. So go to this link to sort the vendor by category (seriously - there are 55 applicant tracking systems!).
8. Go to the SHRM Bookstore!
Lets admit it -we love the conference because it is all about HR! So imagine going to a store that is nothing but HR stuff! Some of it is cheesy, some of it is fun - but it is all about HR...
9. Use Twitter! Create a Keyword Search for #SHRM13
If you have ever wondered how twitter really changes experiences - try it at the show! It is like ocean of direct messages and you can learn about great speakers, great giveaways, celebrity appearances! But get involved and tweet a bit yourself!
10. Taxi Lines!
Okay - be very aware that the taxi lines at the hotels and conferences can be long! So make sure to allocate time for this in the morning and evenings!
11. Have fun!
When you are at the conference, and you attended a great session, or saw a great demo - let me know! Just send me a tweet at
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