I’ve been sitting with this one for a day, and I still don’t quite have the words. Two days at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla, a room full of the most generous people in talent acquisition, and a lot of moments I’ll be thinking about for a long time. My heart is full.
This was my first Recruiting Innovation Summit from the planning side. I’ve attended ERE events before as a practitioner, so getting to experience it from both seats this time was something special.
Catching the sessions (in between everything else)
If you saw me at RIS, chances are it was at breakfast, by the coffee during a break, or somewhere near registration. That’s where I spent most of my two days, and honestly, those are some of my favorite moments of any conference. I love being at registration and helping direct people, answering questions, and making everyone feel welcomed! Still, I managed to sneak into a few sessions, and every one of them was worth it.
Stacy Zapar and Magen Gicinto, “The Candidate Was Perfect. That Was the First Red Flag.” I caught a few minutes of their Day 2 opening keynote, and the energy in that room set the tone for the whole day. I got to see the video play where Magen interviewed the fraudulent candidate who applied at Nisos, and once of the moments she knew was when she asked more details about his location in Florida and about a recent hurricane (that hadn’t happened.) Be sure to sign up for ERE Pro and catch this recording. Stacy and Magen shared actionable take-a-ways for how you can start identifying and protecting your organization from candidate graud.
Tiffany Ballve, “AI for the AI-Hesitant Recruiter.” This one met people right where they are. No hype, no jargon, just practical ways to start. I watched her show us how to use AI as a thought partner when writing and editing job descriptions.
Jan Tegze, “AI as Your Sidekick: Build the AI Agent That Helps You.” Jan made building your own AI agent feel doable, not intimidating. Build your side-kick, not your replacement. I hadn’t even heard of all the types of agents in the eco-system he has set up to help the TA function he’s leading. I definitely need to watch this recording.
The Sourcing Lab with Tom Weinert, Brian Fink, Arron Daniels and Tiffany Ballve. Ninety minutes of sourcers sharing what actually works, live and unfiltered. The generosity in that room is the ERE community in a nutshell. Workshop type sessions are so magical. The community works together, helps each other and asks great questions in the quest for filling their toughest reqs. I think we need more of these sessions at future ERE events. *Puts my thinking cap on.*
A peek behind the curtain
One of my favorite parts of this role is getting to bring a lot of moving pieces together into two and a half days that (hopefully!) feel effortless for everyone in the room.
Months before anyone picked up a badge, I was mapping out rooms and tracks, coordinating speaker travel and rehearsals, ordering stage furniture, planning meals and breaks so there was always time to connect, and lining up the little touches that make an event feel like an experience. Think a surprise brass band to kick things off (524 Brass brought it!), live music in the foyer during breaks and lunch (Baethoven crushed it!), and an Ask Me Anything lounge where you could sit down with speakers one-on-one.
Some of my favorite pieces were the signage, food choices, and foyer set up. (So much good feedback about the hotel and the food!) And our sponsor partners were with us every step of the way, sharing ideas for their booths and sessions so that their time with you felt valuable. Seeing it all click into place on day one was such a joy.
This event is such a fun team effort. A huge thank you to the Hyatt Regency La Jolla team, our AV partners JSB Video, our photographer, our incredible volunteers, our speakers and emcees, and our sponsors, who make this event possible. And of course – my coworkers in crime David and Josh who got me up to speed and shared so much context as I ramped up in my role. Thank you to our attendees and community! It truly is the best. You have choices for your professional development and we are so grateful you spend your time with us and making us all better. I promise you we are talking every day about how we can help the TA community and make it better.
Watching it all come together in real time was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Attending conferences was always one of my favorite parts of working in the HR/recruiting space. I love to be with my peers – learning together, encouraging each other, and making new friends. And now I get to help plan these experiences?! So so cool.
Why this community is so special
Here’s what I’ll remember most: the conversations. The hallway catch-ups. People who met at breakfast and were swapping ideas by lunch. Speakers who stayed long after their sessions to keep answering questions.
The networking reception on Tuesday night was a highlight for me. We were joined by members of a local veterans beer club, and watching them connect with our attendees was a reminder that the best conversations often happen when new people join the circle. Many of our attendees and sponsor partners were Veterans as well and could lend such helpful advice and experiences to these VBC members. I also was so encouraged by how many folks attended on their own, not knowing anyone. It takes bravery to attend a networking event alone.
Talent Acquisition is a profession full of people who give their knowledge away freely, cheer each other on, and show up for one another. I felt that in every room this week.
See you in Atlanta!
If you joined us in San Diego, thank you for being part of it. If you missed it, I’d love to see you next time.
The Spring ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit is coming to Atlanta, May 18–19, 2027, at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Convention Center. Save the date. I can’t wait to do it all again with you.
With a full heart,
Claire
