Hats off to @billboorman and @radicalrecruit for an amazing first day of TRU London. The conference proved to be especially “unconferencey” in the fact that the scheduled tracts changed multiple times deviating from the unofficial official schedule. There are over 100 Recruiters from all across the world that have graced their presence in London. Some of the highlights:
- @jimstroud provided great insight into using video as a form of SEO and marketing. He provided several great cases studies of inexpensive videos shot to announce job openings and employee testimonials one of which was Microsoft. I especially loved how he encouraged companies to post videos that are authentic and real as a way to truly engage your audience. The conversation surrounding social media seemed to be everywhere as attendees discussed the differences between the European Recruitment models vs. the U.S. in addition to the heated discussion surrounding ROI.
- The HR Technology Track was particularly interesting with input from @imsosarah @steveboese @1ntelligence and others. Much discussion surrounding the broken state of Applicant Tracking Systems. The group was primarily in agreement that ATS purchases are made by the wrong individuals. Like all technology, the end users who are the candidates, recruiters, and HR Generalists should be involved in the purchasing, implementation, and product selection.
- Fantastic side conversations with @charlie_elise discussing both her role at Sift Media and the Generational Y track. While I can sympathize with the generational debate, the topic is overused and overdated. We also had quite an engaging discussion regarding the differences between UK, European, and American electronic plug-ins. Fascinating, I know!
- Bill Boorman’s hair makes the list of day 1 unconference highlights much to the dismay of his wife, Fran (who is especially nice). Bill’s hair which is long in comparison to when I first met him at Recruitfest agree to shave his head sometime during the TRU festivities. If Bill holds his promise, Geoff and Bill will be virtually unrecognizable between the two. Maybe Bill’s new do will make his less “dodgy.”
- Secret Culture Track discussing the cultural differences between words and their meanings between the North American and English cultures. I’m interested in learning more as the unconference continues and ties loosen at the tweetup later this evening.
Look for tomorrow’s update to include video highlighting the unofficial unconference.
