Few settings provide such fertile ground for recruiting talented candidates for clients as industry conferences.
IMethods recently connected with numerous qualified professionals by sponsoring and attending the Code on the Beach conference in Atlantic Beach, FL. The three-day conference drew hundreds of software engineers interested in honing and applying their skills.
Based on our experience, here are five ways to recruit at conferences:
1. Be selective in choosing conferences. Focusing on niche specialties allows us to further our industry knowledge and tailor our involvement in the conference to meet the needs of one particular audience instead of the masses. For instance, although iMethods works in a variety of general and healthcare IT settings we sponsored Code on the Beach because it focused on software engineers specializing in Microsoft development.
2. Ask the experts. What better way to better understand your audience than to meet one-on-one with them to learn? Our recruiters sat down with IT professionals during the weekend event to gain a better understanding of what they do and what matters most in their careers. It’s this type of insight that helps us accomplish our goal of “creating meaningful work.”
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3. Alert prospective candidates to your presence through social media. In addition to the general hashtag for the conference, #codeonthebeach, recruiters tweeted their whereabouts by using secondary hashtags for workshops, such as #azuremobile, #RavenDB, and #vs2013.
4. Be an active sponsor of the conference. Authentic involvement in an event is key. Not only does the event itself benefit from the physical support but you’re able to reap benefits of a deeper level when you’re actively involved. IMethods sponsored the Code on the Beach Cornhole tournament, which allowed attendees to take a break from workshops & seminars and relax with our team of employees, thereby building relationships that could eventually benefit everyone.
5. Mine the database. Conferences often share contact information for attendees with sponsors. Use these lists to follow up with whole groups or to meet attendees you missed at the event.
Now that you’ve developed relationships with a plethora of potential candidates and clients, mark your calendar for next year’s conference and build on the investments made at this year’s event!
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