?? Monday morning, so here's a post about conferences!!! As a startup, it's a big risk to spend your limited marketing budget on travel and sponsorship, not to mention blocking out multiple full days where you can't really get anything else done.
However, the #RecOps conference by OneReq last week shows why in the right setting, with the right group of attendees, that risk is worth taking. Why was this conference special?
1) Agenda: Can't have a good conference without planning and organization. Wahab Owolabi and Jeremy A. Lyons put together an efficient agenda starting with an inspiring keynote from josé benitez cong, who's passion for recruiting was pouring out of him during the talk. There was a balanced mix of vendor presentations, attendee panels, breaks, and networking opportunities that provided attendees with a wide range of perspectives on the latest trends in #RecOps.
2) High-Quality Vendors: Siadhal Magos gave more than just a product demo of Metaview.AI (which is awesome btw). He called out key use cases in #RecOps where AI can not only be applied, but can surpass what any individual could do on their own. He gave tips on how to use AI outside of his product. Very generous and rare for a sponsor presentation. Benjamin Encz, CEO of Ashby (a well-designed, fast-growing ATS), didn't just show his product, but explained how to build a great #RecOps organization by treating it like a product, showering the audience with relevant metrics, change management suggestions, and other tips that can drive #RecOps efficiency and success. I can't remember the last time I learned so much in two short talks.
3) A+ Attendees: Lastly, and most importantly, #RecOps brought recruiting operations leaders from some of the largest, fastest growing companies in the world together, in person. I wish I had time to chat with everyone, but of the few I did, they were extremely generous with feedback and had an openness to learn more about Talent Llama. Special shoutout to these folks for giving me a few minutes of their valuable time and providing actionable takeaways:
Kari Robison, Amy Wood (she/her), Ali Yousaf, Erich Wegscheider, Amanda Tarkenton, Bianca Donerkiel, Kasey Sullivan, MSM, Michelle Sumrall, Luke Eaton Xavier A. Gonzalez, PHR, Jonathan Garner Nick Timpano
My biggest realization as a new #RecOps vendor: This group genuinely wants to support great products at any stage, because those products can have a direct impact on their goals. Needless to say, I've already committed to going back next year and literally can't wait!
