5 Helpful Tips to Prepare for an HR Conference

5 Helpful Tips to Prepare for an HR Conference This post is sponsored by Perengo   A Programmatic Recruitment Platform. Industry conferences are often equal parts exciting and overwhelming. The audible buzz of a massive expo hall, combined with an action-packed schedule and endless networking, can easily bewilder even the most seasoned conference-goer. That’s why preparation is key. With SHRM 2017 just around the corner, now is the time to begin planning and organizing your company’s presence at the world’s largest HR trade show. The vast majority of conference attendees simply secure their tickets, assemble their team, and ‘wing it’ at the conference without any preparation. As a consequence, they don’t get the maximum return on their investment. Luckily, you can effectively prepare for SHRM 2017 in just 30 minutes. We’ve outlined 5 steps to help guide the process, from defining your conference KPIs to stuffing your swag bag. Conquer these steps and you’ll be on track for a productive and enjoyable conference experience. 1. Outline your company goals Attending a conference can be a significant expense. If your company has allocated a budget for SHRM 2017, it’s best to treat the event as you would any new project in order to avoid draining unnecessary resources. This means defining concrete goals and realistic expectations. What do you want to achieve with the conference, and how will you do it? Put your strategy in motion early on to lighten the workload at conference time. Next, define your target audience. Which people would you like to reach? Find out who is going to the conference, how you will meet them, and how you will strategically follow up with them. Reach out to attendees in advance. Make your path to customers, clients, and partners as clear as possible. You will thank yourself later, when you’re seamlessly darting between meetings instead of spending valuable time trying to contact the right people. 2. Secure all transportation and accommodation The last thing you want to worry about at the conference is logistics. Avoid any nightmare situations by booking everything in advance and familiarizing yourself with the surrounding area. You may already have travel and lodging sorted for SHRM 2017, but don’t forget about transfers between conference and hotel. Gather all the components of your travel itinerary â€" including flight times and confirmation numbers â€" in one place either on your phone or in a folder. Browse the city layout and hotspots to get a general sense of how you will get from point A to B. 3. Prepare a conference toolkit Nowadays, your smartphone and tablet are your handiest tools at a conference. Many conferences have their own branded apps through which you can find information, discover events, and get in touch with attendees. Your phone is also where you might add new contacts on LinkedIn. Don’t forget your chargers and portable power banks. Despite the heavy reliance on technology, freshly printed business cards are always a good idea. Sometimes a new contact can get lost in the digital abyss, but their business card remains in your wallet or purse for much longer. Be sure to arrange your company’s sales, demo, and brand materials (such as product leaflets and swag bag goodies). Let your creativity fly here, but whatever you do, don’t end up at the conference empty handed and miss this key opportunity for brand exposure. 4. Join the conversation on social media No conference in 2017 would be complete without its own hashtag, which is also a valuable attendee marketing tool if used correctly. Test your company traction and gain some new followers via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by tagging your posts with the designated conference hashtag. The official hashtag for SHRM 2017 is, you guessed it: #SHRM17. It’s a good idea to inform your social following where you will be and when. Make it clear the immediate benefit that people will gain from interacting with you at the event; remember, everyone is busy and the conference is massive, so standing out from the pack will get you ahead. 5. Review the conference schedule and map Spend a few minutes perusing the conference offering and getting acquainted with the venue. Always keep your original conference mission in mind as you consider which talks and workshops you’ll attend. Also think about where and when you might approach potential new leads or gather existing customer feedback. Last but not least: Pencil in some well-deserved downtime to avoid burnout, keep your schedule as flexible as possible, and remember to have fun! Don’t forget to connect learn about cutting edge recruitment technology at this years SHRM 2017 Annual Conference (June 18-20) in New Orleans. Connect with the experts at Perengo and see how programmatic recruitment can increase your quality applicant count significantly.

What You Need to Know About Best Professional Resume Writing Services

What You Need to Know About Best Professional Resume Writing ServicesIf you have a good working knowledge of English, are comfortable presenting yourself in public, and possess the ability to produce high quality resumes, you may want to consider seeking out the best professional resume writing services Los Angeles. There are a number of services that provide great resume examples that you can use. If you do not like these samples, you can use online portfolios and find examples that are similar to your skills and interests.When you select a resume writer for your needs, keep in mind that you will need to pay for the service. Many services offer a free consultation or design services, but you are required to pay. The price is usually around twenty dollars per hour, which is very affordable for this type of service. The advantage of hiring a professional in Los Angeles is that they are paid for the information that they provide to you.One of the advantages of the best Los Angeles resu me writing services is that they will review your CV and tell you how to improve it. They can even suggest special formatting that you may want to consider when submitting it to your prospective employer. This allows you to make the most of your skills and create a resume that will stand out from other applicants. Another bonus is that they can use this knowledge to boost the specific skills you are interested in so that your CV stands out from other candidates with the same skills.The best professional resume writing services Los Angeles have experience with other people and their resumes, which make them more effective at creating a good resume. They understand that not all resumes are created equal and this is why they are capable of getting your resume up to date and relevant. One thing to keep in mind is that some companies pay attention to things such as grammar and spelling and some will focus on the chronological organization.You do not have to worry about putting too much t hought into your resume because the resume writer has a very hands-on approach to the process. They can also help you with making your CV more appealing to the interviewer by editing the copy and adding bullet points and highlighting key sections. In addition, they will make sure that your CV has the right number of heading, spaces, and font size. This will ensure that your CV looks the way you want it to, without losing its relevancy.By using resume writers, you can avoid the time consuming task of reviewing and rewriting your resume yourself. The best resume writers will review your CV before it is written, as well as edit it after it is written. The editing process is very detailed and takes hours, so you will want to make sure that you hire a service that you feel confident with.If you get an email from someone asking if they could give them a sample of your resume, be aware that these samples are not always that good. It is very rare that a Los Angeles resumes writer will take the time to get your resume looking the way you want it to look. The best service will spend the time necessary to get your resume in the best possible form.One other thing to keep in mind is that you can choose which resume writer you want to work with. Some of these services have a network of current and previous clients that you can contact to get feedback on their services. You can also ask friends and family if they have any recommendations or conduct a Google search to see what other resumes they have been using. This will help you make the best decision for your resume needs.

Would a Graduate Tax Be Fairer Than Student Loans - Career Geek

Would a Graduate Tax Be Fairer Than Student Loans - Career Geek Research by Dr Mike Clugston shows that under the current system of student loans, 85% of students will never repay their student loans â€" unsurprising when the average cost of university is £43,500 and lower income graduates will accrue far more interest than those on a higher income. Before the last election, the idea of a graduate tax as a fairer system of paying for university was popular with left-leaning politicians including Ed Balls, Vince Cable and current NUS President Liam Burns. Would it solve the problem of a lifetime debt that hits the poorest the hardest? Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Graduate tax explained Under the NUS-proposed system, a graduate tax would take the form of an extra 0.3%-2.5% tacked onto income tax for twenty years following graduation. Graduates would only become liable when earning above the current £21,000 threshold for student loan repayments. This is in contrast to the current system, where students receive loans from the state-backed Student Loans Company to pay for tuition fees. Whilst studying, the loans attract interest at RPI (Retail Price Index) plus 3%. Post-graduation, interest is accrued at RPI plus additional interest pegged to income, a maximum of 3% once earning £41,000 or more. Repayments are made at 9% of any income over £21,000. A progressive approach to university funding? A graduate tax certainly looks simpler, but its supporters also claim it to be more progressive. The crucial piece of Dr Clugstons research was demonstrating how compound interest made debt under the current system larger for poorer graduates higher-income graduates pay back their loans quicker, accruing far less interest as a result. For example, Clugston contends that starting on the national average wage of £26,600, the debt will reach £76,800 by year 30 after graduation, at which point the debt will be written off. For those starting on £21,000 (the threshold above which repayments are made) the debt will escalate to £101,942 by year 30. Contrast that with someone starting on £35,000 who will end up with £2,245 of debt by year 30. Under a graduate tax, there would be no fixed point at which the debt is considered cleared. As such, the highest-earning graduates would end up paying past the point at which they previously would have stopped. This surplus payment would then be used to subsidise poorer students. A graduate tax would also mean poorer students wouldnt be saddled with an unpayable debt that may affect their ability to take out a mortgage. Although student loans currently make little difference to credit applications, the amount of disposable income does. By paying a smaller proportion of income, poorer graduates would have more money to put towards a deposit, and to make mortgage payments. Is a graduate tax as fair as it seems? A sizeable problem with the case for a graduate tax is that it confuses student debt with real debt. Clugstons research shows enormous debts accruing for lower-income graduates which are then written off. They never pay them. The amount of debt is irrelevant. What matters is the amount which is paid back. Under the current system, high-earning graduates may owe less over their lifetime, but pay more in real terms. A graduate tax may not be any more progressive than the current, already progressive, system. Fairness is another issue. Even if the tax was more progressive and made richer graduates pay more, is it fair for the highest earners to pay far above what their degree actually cost? One could say they are paying in proportion to benefit received rather than cost of delivery, but education arguably has diminishing returns over time. The longer you work, the less your degree matters. By the time youre 50 youre highly unlikely to be hired based on your studies. The big picture The upshot of the graduate tax is that the top 10% of graduate earners could make proportionally larger contributions for their education, past the point many would consider fair. But lets take fair in a wider sense. Under the current system, most students wont ever pay back their loans. The amounts of debt quoted are irrelevant as most will be written off. Student loans make little difference to individual graduates, but the Treasury is sitting on a debt timebomb that will undoubtedly cause another funding crisis in years to come. Is it fair to leave an underfunded education sector to the future? Under-resourced, poor-quality universities for most, privately-funded universities for the rich. This is neither fair for students themselves, nor the economy, which depends on progressively higher levels of education for the UK to compete on a global level. Most discussions on graduate tax sidestep the funding issue, preferring to concentrate on the effect on individuals. In real terms, a graduate tax is no fairer to poor students than the current system. But it would require a larger sacrifice on behalf of the very richest, arguably resulting in a better-funded education system for all, and the associated economic benefits. How fair you think that is depends on where you sit on the political spectrum. Image credit: http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4001/4669399716_e3d4c2bff5_o.jpg 6