INSPIRE 2022: Highlights from our top sessions

November 17, 2022

 

iCIMS Staff

5 min read

INSPIRE 2022 was a blast! This was my second year in attendance, and once again, I’m blown away by the powerful ideas and energy that stem from this conference.

Speaking of energy, Sekou Andrews came back to INSPIRE with another outstanding keynote. I remember being glued to the screen during his talk in 2021. I didn’t think it was possible, but somehow this year was even better. Sonia Jhas and Dee C. Marshall also took to the stage with sincere and empowering presentations. Their insights made me feel ready to take charge and redefine this “new normal”.

Beyond the keynotes, global leaders met to discuss bold strategies we can all use to attract and advance talent in 2023. Since the INSPIRE Global Conference is all about moving the talent industry forward, I thought I’d share some of my favorite TA takeaways with you.

There’s so much more to enjoy from INSPIRE 2022! To watch available on-demand sessions, access the library here. 

Harness the Power of Psychology to Attract and Engage Talent

Have you ever noticed that hiring is a lot like the current dating landscape?

Think about it. Most connections are made online or through an app, based on limited information and a few shared interests. And just as people turn to sites like Match or OKCupid to find a companion, job seekers turn to sites like Indeed or LinkedIn to find their next career.

Laura Fields, Senior Director of TA Operations, Selection, and Assessment at Spectrum,  made this unique observation. Laura holds a doctorate in Psychology and has 23 years of experience in employee selection and talent acquisition. Her expertise led her to observe another parallel between recruiting and the dating world: we’re all just looking for our soulmate!

While this sounds warm and fuzzy, it can pose a challenge for active job seekers who are overwhelmed by how many choices are put in front of them.

Think of the job seeker as the Bachelorette and your employer brand as one of the contestants. To end up perfectly paired, you’ll have to work hard to stand out and hope your potential beau doesn’t get distracted by “big muscle guy” over there.

Fortunately, there is much more opportunity to make real connections in hiring than on reality TV.

Throughout this session, Laura and iCIMS Chief Evangelist Kimberly Taylor uncover how to balance user psychology and recruiting technology to create desired experiences for talent.

Some of my favorite tactics include:

• Text-to-apply campaigns that allow job seekers to connect wherever they are and develop a sense of belonging from their first interaction with your brand
• Career site chatbots that use applied intelligence to make expert job recommendations based on uploaded resume skills and experience data
• Using employee video testimonials in text and email campaigns to increase engagement and conversion rates

Building a Sustainable Talent Advantage With Marketing Automation

In this fireside chat, iCIMS’ Joe Essenfeld, SVP of Global Field Innovations, was joined by Andy Curlewis, Managing Director of Consulting at Cielo. Cielo is a leading RPO that uses modern marketing automation to help its clients gain a competitive advantage.

We all know the talent and labor markets have drastically changed over the last decade, and many organizations feel yesterday’s tools make it difficult to build meaningful, one-to-one connections with candidates.

That’s why it was so refreshing to hear actionable ideas from Andy and Joe. When you feel stuck, having a defined path forward can be exactly what you need to get the wheels turning.

I recommend watching this session to hear Andy’s reflections on shifts in the labor market, candidate expectations and how employers can use marketing automation to maximize their talent engagement at scale.

Prioritizing the Employee Career Journey

“Now is the moment to put your employees back at the heart of what you do.”

How could that idea not inspire you?!

Both Laura Coccaro, iCIMS Chief People Officer, and Marie Artim, VP of Talent Acquisition at Enterprise Holdings, have built internal mobility programs from the ground up. Their expertise and passion made this session so fun to watch!

The core of their conversation? While talent mobility isn’t a new concept (and many organizations see the benefits), leaders still face several challenges. Change management is hard, and all stakeholders need to be bought in for an internal mobility program to be successful.

To help you get clear on ownership, inspire from within, and deliver on career advancement, Laura and Marie share what they’ve learned from their own experiences and answer questions like:

• Where do you start and how can you measure success?
• What processes can you put in place to communicate with employees and hiring managers?
• How can you keep employees active in their career journey?

Final thoughts

While these sessions were my personal favorites, there were so many nuggets of wisdom at this year’s conference! I’ll be replaying all the available sessions through the on-demand library before the year ends.

This year’s conference may be over, but I’m thrilled I won’t have to wait much longer for it to return! INSPIRE comes back May 2023 with even more fresh insights and ideas to keep the talent industry moving forward.

If you’d like to get updates when registration opens, sign up here.