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Start with a friendly conversation to get to know who the person is and what they do.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Present a specific position you think they’d be a good fit for.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
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Follow up with more information about your company and positions they qualify for.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.zippia.com\/employer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/how-to-recruit-talent-at-a-conference.png\")
<\/p>\nHow to Recruit Talent at a Conference<\/h2>\n
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Know Who You’re Talking To<\/b><\/p>\n
While this might seem pretty obvious, you’ll need to do a little research to make sure that the potential candidate you’re speaking to could be a good fit for a\u00a0position within\u00a0your company. After all, you don\u2019t want to waste time discussing a position that has nothing to do with the candidate\u2019s skill set.<\/p>\n
If you can, suss out the workshops or\u00a0sessions\u00a0your potential\u00a0candidate may have attended\u00a0or might be going along to later in the conference. Attending these workshops could\u00a0provide you with more insight into how they interact, the types of questions they ask, etc.\n<\/li>\n
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Start With Small Talk<\/b><\/p>\n
Engage\u00a0your prospective\u00a0candidate in a conversation relating to the conference or workshop topics. Evaluate their\u00a0breadth of knowledge throughout the conversation before you bring up even a hint of any potential job\u00a0opportunity. <\/p>\n
You don\u2019t want to invest your time and effort in a person who doesn\u2019t actually match your ideal candidate profile.<\/p>\n
Remember this is not<\/em> a job interview. These moments are the first of many conversations that may lead to formal interviews later on down the line.\u00a0Whatever you do, don’t go into sales overdrive. You’ll just end up scaring them off.\n<\/li>\n
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Get Sufficient Background Information<\/b><\/p>\n
If the person you’ve met could be a potential fit for your team, find out a little bit more about where the person currently works and his or her responsibilities (still remembering you are not facilitating an\u00a0interview).\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you know the person\u2019s job title, you can more easily gauge if he or she might be looking to make a move.<\/p>\n
Pay attention to your surroundings. Recruits are likely to wax poetic about their current positions if they\u2019re manning a company\u00a0booth or their colleagues or manager\u00a0are hanging around.<\/p>\n
If possible, get them away from these environments if you want to know how they’re really<\/em> feeling.\n<\/li>\n
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Mention a Position<\/b><\/p>\n
Despite what I’ve suggested earlier, don\u2019t spend too<\/em> much time making small talk unless you\u2019re genuinely interested in what the person has to say. Get to the point, mention a potential position and gauge their reaction.<\/p>\n
If the person asks questions or displays body language that signifies interest, continue to elaborate on the opportunity. Please remember you still don\u2019t want to hard sell the position the first time you speak to them.\n<\/li>\n
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Follow Up<\/b><\/p>\n
The typical potential candidate isn\u2019t going to bite on the first bit of bait so make sure you follow up with the individual through email, a social media connection,\u00a0or a telephone call. <\/p>\n
That way you can provide additional information on the opportunity and explain why you believe he or she should consider your offer.<\/p>\n
Some candidates may only give you their work contact information, particularly if they\u2019ve just met you. Make them feel more comfortable by talking about the conference\u00a0you both attended, and don\u2019t immediately discuss the job opportunity.<\/p>\n
If the conversation progresses naturally, they\u00a0will be more likely to give their personal contact information at the end of the discussion.\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Finding quality candidates\u00a0can be tough\u00a0at the best of times. But spotting potential talent is even more difficult\u00a0if you don\u2019t know how to approach people at conferences or in other social situations.<\/p>\n
Next time you’re at an industry event, establishing common interests, evaluating potential fit,\u00a0and following up with them\u00a0will help you improve your scouting\u00a0efforts and attract suitable\u00a0candidates who may\u00a0not even realize they’re speaking to their potential future employer as you chat over a coffee during a session break.<\/p>\n
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