Be sure to check out the track leaders and join in on the online discussion. See you at RecruitFest! 2010!

RecruitingBlogs and Monster are proud to present our first joint two-day conference in Boston, MA: RecruitFest! 2010 is a partnership between RecruitingBlogs.com and Monster Wordwide.

The RecruitFest Learning Experience is focused on the impact of social media and an unprecedented number of new tools and products on the recruiting and HR industries and the job seekers they touch. RecruitFest! will be unlike other conference or even unconferences in the space. Here’s how:

Not your typical registration: Participants will have the option to meet their track leaders before the conference ever begins. Each track leader will be hosting a webinar that outlines their track and gives attendees the opportunity to grasp the basics before we tackle the weightier subject matter face to face.

Not your typical tracks: Either you sit in a chair for four hours and never say a word OR there’s total chaos. Not at RecruitFest. Each track will work together to solve a different issue in the recruiting and HR space, using vendor and participant research and with a distinct nod to input from digital attendees. Don’t expect everyone in the room to agree. Debates, panels and real participation are not only encouraged but required.

Not your typical speakers: Are you ready to hear from some real practitioners? VPs and Managers who have actually tried some of the most touted techniques out there? Do you want to hear what does and and doesn’t work in the real world of talent management? Are you interested in seeing what long-term research has to say about popular topics? Hear from theorists and the people doing this, day in and day out.

Not your typical communication: Do you dare to go dark? Attend a conference where you have to talk to the person sitting next to you, across from you and articulate your groups’s conclusions. Go beyond theory to a workshop style, problem-solving, real-world event. At the last session, each track will present its conclusions and attempt to see how they work with one another, if at all. Can you support your conclusions in a room of your peers? Can you check your BlackBerry at the door?

The Red Recruiter says that RecruitFest! and unconferences like it are leading the way in conference innovation. Giving credit where it’s due, he gives us an in-depth look at track leader Jenny DeVaughn.

Steve Boese talks about the value of taking on line relationships off-line and what kind of impact that will have.

Scott Gordon waxes poetic about the interaction, the city and…the veggie dogs.

Heather Bussing explains the top ten reasons why she DIDN’T attend RecruitFest!

Jerry Albright pledges to RecruitFest attendees. Did he live up to it?

Ryan Leary talks about the unconference conference and why he KNOWS the greatest minds in recruiting were there.

Carolyn, a RecruitFest! alum provides the most comprehensive rundown, including insights from each track. (Plus, she remembered all the appetizer names!)

Find more videos like this on RecruitingBlogs.com

Finally, in a LATE submission but with an interesting “unsung heroes” flavor, here’s Recruiter Guy’s take.

Craig Silverman

Craig Silverman is currently Partner and Sales and Marketing VP at Albin Engineering. He joined Unlimited MedSearch in 2008 as COO. He is responsible for Sales, Marketing, Franchise Development & Support, and Training. Unlimited MedSearch is focused on filling Healthcare and Medical direct hire/perm positions.

Prior to Unlimited MedSearch, Craig was the EVP, Sales & Marketing for HireAbility.com from 2004 – 2008 where he built a new model for the recruiting industry by banding together a social network of corporate recruiting groups, executive and independent recruiters, and staffing agencies. From 2002-2004, he was the Senior Vice President for TMP/Hudson Global Resources (HHGP) where he was responsible for their $90M U.S. IT Services business. From 1996–2001, Craig was with Hall Kinion as Executive Vice President and CMO. He was successful in growing the Hall Kinion recruiting business from annual revenues of $30M to $296M while opening 40 new sales offices, and hiring 400 recruiters. During this time, Craig was an active member of the HK executive team helping with the company IPO in August of 1997, secondary public offering in 2000 and with the due diligence and integration of five acquisitions. While Craig was responsible for sales, marketing and training at HK they were included as #24 on the Forbes Magazine list of “Best” companies to work for and added to the S&P Small Cap Index. Craig spent six years as Vice President of Sales & Strategic Consulting with Strategic Mapping, Inc. a leading developer of GIS software and data for business applications from 1989–1996. During his time with the company he grew software sales revenue from $1M to $25M annually.

Craig’s professional sales and sales management career spans 19 years. During this time he has amassed substantial experience in building sales teams, marketing, mergers & acquisitions, venture capital, public relations, recruiting, hiring, training, and motivating. Craig is considered to be an expert on hiring, the job market, staffing industry & recruiting trends, leadership and sales management. He has been often quoted by the press in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, San Francisco Chronicle, Fortune.com, Knowledge Management Magazine and Staffing Industry Report. Craig attended the University of Texas at Austin and in 2000 completed the OPM/Key Executive Program at Harvard Business School.

More details on the NAPS conference here.

Admittedly, I am a fan of social media.  I like to see what the mean girls from high school ended up like.  From a business perspective – I love that I have developed some great relationships with people online.  It is quick and easy to “meet” someone – often it is something as simple as a RT or @ reply on twitter.  But, as much as I enjoy learning about people through social media – there is nothing like actually meeting someone in person and creating a *true* connection with them.  In fact – one of the main reasons I go to conferences is because of the amazing conversations I have with REALLY smart people.  I can honestly say that I have never been to a single conference where I didn’t walk out smarter than when I walked in – not even including any of the actual conference sessions. (If you get really lucky – you even get to have dinner with a legend…)

So – As you look toward fall – Here are the conferences that are coming up in September and some tips to save $$ -

9/9-9/11 ERE Fall Expo 2009 Hollywood, Fl

• Conference $ Saver – Register by Friday and save an additional $200 – On twitter?  DM or @ reply to scottbaxt for addt’l discount!
• Travel Tip – Travelocity has Flight/Hotel deals for the Westin Diplomat at a savings of around $60/night over the conference discount

9/23-24 Recruitfest Toronto, CA

• Conference $ Saver – Use “EARLYBIRD” by 8/15 for an additional $50 savings.  Also, The prices are all in Canadian.  Most of us going are not.  That $250 bargain price (After the discount) is really closer to $200 for the rest of us!
• Travel Tip – Get your passport like TODAY.  There are 2 airports in Toronto that you can check flight prices on as well.  Make sure you call the hotel and get the recruitingblogs.com rate – roughly $175/night – much better than the $350 on the web site.

9/30-10/2 HR Technology Conference

• Conference $ Saver – Register by 9/18  for an additional $300 savings.  To be honest – the expo area is HUGE and if you are looking or a geek like me – you can spend 2 FULL days just in the expo space (Trust me, I have done it the last 4 years).  If you are someone wanting to JUST go to the expo – Add a comment or email me I have FREE passes.
• Travel Tip – Chicago has 2 airports – MDW & ORD – both would work for the conference.  The expo is a bit out of the way, so they have shuttle buses that drive you back and forth from downtown airports.  Want to save money – Priceline (Name your own price) a hotel in the Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area of downtown in the 4 star range.  Last 2 years I have been at the “official conference hotel” at a rate of $90 per night including taxes.  Even if you don’t end up at the “official” hotel – you walk a block or two and still take the shuttle bus

I will be at all 3 of these shows – not speaking this year, but enjoying the knowledge gathering – come September and hope to see you there!

Find more videos like this on RecruitingBlogs.com

Onrec and Kennedy are each highly regarded within the recruiting community, both nationally and abroad, and news of this exciting joint venture is already causing quite a stir within the industry, making its way into popular blogs such as the ere community.

Anna Brekka, Senior Director, Talent Management Services, Kennedy Information, says, “The conjoining of Onrec and Kennedy will be of great benefit to recruiters nationwide—especially as organizations begin to ramp up the rebuilding of their recruiting function for long-term growth. Both companies will bring to the event our distinctive areas of expertise, making it the richest, most high-value, recruiting conference experience possible.”

“So obviously complimentary to one another, the unison of Kennedy and Onrec seems only natural,” says RD Whitney, CEO, North America. “We will bring our strong recruiting technological acumen and analytical savvy; and Kennedy Information will deliver the tactical recruiting expertise and industry insight that has been trusted by industry practitioners for over 35 years.”

Onrec and Kennedy’s all-new event will be conveniently held in Chicago (just minutes from the Ohare/Chicago airport), November 3-4, 2009, and promises to deliver a diverse assortment of sessions and workshops. For more information and to register, visit http://www.onrec.com/expo2009. Tickets are limited.

About Kennedy Information

Kennedy Information is the leading research firm covering professional business markets, including: Corporate Recruiting, Executive Recruiting, Executive Career Management, Management Consulting and Investor Relations.

Kennedy powers RecruitingTrends.com and publishes Executive Recruiter News and The Directory of Executive & Professional Recruiters. Kennedy produces the biannual Executive Search Summit, as well as variety of Professional Development Seminars throughout the year; and serves as an information resource for both recruiters and executive jobseekers, through three primary sites: KennedyInfo.com, ExecutiveRegistry.com, and ExecutiveAgent.com.

About Onrec

Onrec is an internationally acclaimed organization dedicated to providing recruiters worldwide with advanced technological and analytical recruiting solutions. In addition to gaining notoriety for presenting events which have historically drawn massive crowds of recruiters and talent management professionals from across the globe, Onrec hosts a popular, information-packed website.

Onrec.com serves as a platform for today’s hottest recruiting news stories; an active discussion forum; and Ticker Tape downloads designed to keep recruiters up-to-the-minute on critical news in the world, and more specifically in the UK, the U.S. and Canada, and Australia.
http://www.Onrec.com/Expo2009