What do Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington, Michael J. Fox, and Tim Giehll have in common?

They’ll all be at the 2011 SHRM Conference and Exposition on June 26-29 in Las Vegas. If you’re hesitant to go because of the price, read on. There’s a way to get free passes to the Exposition through Bond Talent.

This conference is, in my mind, more important than ever. It seems as if the May unemployment and economic numbers aren’t going to be good, so (as I’ve said in another blog post) well-trained, well-informed staffers, recruiters, and other human resource professionals are vital links between jobs and those who need them.

Here’s what you can expect at the Conference and Exposition:

• Great Speakers and Teachers. And I don’t mean the headliners mentioned above (sorry, but I doubt if Michael J. Fox has anything to teach me about recruiting software). I’m referring to the dozens to top-notch professionals who will lead the 200+ sessions on everything from business management to leadership training to HR certification to compliance issues.
• Exhibitors. I’m always amazed at the wealth of exciting new products and services that show up every year from 700 different suppliers. It reminds me that there’s no way to survive in this industry without constantly improving what one has to offer. Stop by and say “hi” – I’ll be at Booth #717 and make sure we SCAN your badge !!
• Networking.  Social media and email are great, but it’s no secret that face-to-face encounters still drive business in this country. If you go out of your way to talk to exhibitors and the people next to you in sessions, you’ll probably learn more than you will from the great speakers I just mentioned (and you’ll probably teach a thing or two yourself). Plus, you’ll have a new business associate (or several) that you can contact after the conference.
• Fun. It usually goes hand-in-hand with networking, although it’s more likely to occur after dinner! Keith Urban is performing Tuesday night at 8pm, and Las Vegas has plenty of frivolous distractions.

And about those passes….The first 50 people who follow Bond Talent on LinkedIn or Twitterbetween June 6^th and June 26^th will receive a free one-day pass to the Exposition.

See you there!