Didn't make it to SHRM's Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada, from June 25 to June 28, 2000? No problem. Vault.com's very own HR Channel Director, Carla McKay, took pen and paper with her as she boarded the plane from New York City to the Mecca of quickie weddings and Elvis impersonators. And while she didn't spend much time at the slot machines, she did chronicle some of the juicy details of HR's most popular annual event. Keep reading for a breakdown of the action.

Friday, June 23

Our flight out of NYC is filled with HR folks - all of them have smiles on their faces as they head to Vegas! From high above, you know when you have arrived to Vegas- the desert is ablaze with colorful lights. Once off the airplane in the terminal, we are greeted with the sights and sounds of the airport casino - we have arrived to the gambling capital of the world! Soon after, I head with the other conference attendees down the Vegas strip to our hotel. My eyes are overwhelmed with the energy that fills this city.

Saturday, June 24

With SHRM registration set for the afternoon, I take advantage of a little R&R Vegas style: poolside among one of the hotels' four pools. After a quick dip, I'm off to explore the Vegas strip. All routes out of the hotel lead through the casino, which is packed with all types of people. I am sure they're all dreaming about striking it rich!

Afternoon brings us to the Las Vegas Convention Center for conference registration. We pick up our powder blue goodie bags complete with Jay Leno tickets (for the Tuesday night program) and head into the vendor booth area, which is roughly the size of an airplane hangar.

Evening arrives and we find ourselves back on the strip. I chat with other HR professionals as we stroll past a crowd lined up to see the fountain light show at the Bellagio hotel. It's the Fourth of July: Vegas style! Next, we try our luck in the casino. Sixty dollars richer, I decide to quit while I'm ahead and settle in for the night. The lights of Vegas are right outside my window, but there is something very restful about being in a safe, quiet place - high above the pulse of the city. ~

Sunday, June 25

Starting the day with a run, I am struck by the coolness of the air. It's early and the sun is still young in the sky. While exercising, I people-watch and notice lots of folks sporting HR pins and conference badges. There are many conference attendees are out and about - and on the prowl for coffee!

Heading with the masses to the conference, I experience goosebumps of excitement. It is such an honor to be in this profession, and three days at the SHRM conference is an ideal way to tune up my HR batteries.

This is the first day of the vendor expo and we are welcomed with a grand reception by Desmond Tutu, who leads the program. Everywhere I look, there is delicious food and drink. I hear a woman beside me yell "Charge!" - and she is off to the well-populated expo (no doubt ready to conquer all of the booths and free give-aways!). Everyone is smiling and schmoozing HR style; and HR professionals from all over the world are represented.

Evening finds us at an event at the Mirage Hotel, where we are greeted with more food, drink, and HR schmoozing. Later, it's off to the Paris hotel (shaped like the Eiffel Tower - in Vegas!) for a yummy dinner of French food. Walking back to the hotel in the heat of the night, we are greeted along the way with the lights and sounds of each restaurant and hotel that we pass. Each one seems to be vying for our attention. ~

Monday, June 26

Awaking to another sunny day (it never rains here I'm told), we brave the "dry heat" of the afternoon and make our way to the Convention Center. Day One of the Official Program is complete with speakers and events. I am surrounded by a sea of HR folks with blue bags and badges. David Ulrich, famed HR guru, leads the opening session/panel discussion on HR secrets to success with folks from Marriott, Dell, and Southwest Airlines. After more sessions and lunch, it's back to the expo to see all of the HR vendors. Everyone is competing for your business card, offering you the "best" for your company's HR department - and a free giveaway to boot. On the bus back to the hotel we ride up the strip. Everyone on the bus is quiet: we are all feeling 'talked out' from an exciting first day.

Next, we're off to the Stardust Hotel for a night with Mr. Vegas himself, Wayne Newton, followed by a couple of rounds at the slot machines and then back to the hotel. We need to rest up for the excitement that awaits us on Day Two of the conference.

Tuesday, June 27

It's Day Two of the conference and another sunny, 'dry heat' day is upon us. The high for today is supposed to be 104 degrees. Today, I'm back to the SHRM conference to take in some sessions and spend time at the Vault Booth in the expo. I am greeted by crowds of people as I enter into the convention center. The final headcount for the conference is somewhere around 15,000 participants - not a bad turnout!

Evening arrives and the end of the conference is upon us. Wow, time flies when you're having fun! We board the SHRM buses back to our respective hotels. To unwind, I take advantage of an outdoor swim and head off to dinner with a fellow colleague, who happens to be the editor of an online recruiting strategist newsletter. We take in the sights and sounds of the Bellagio Hotel while enjoying dinner at "Olives," the new Todd English restaurant situated high above the fountain water show. With regret, I miss the Jay Leno show that was part of our Tuesday night program. Other conference attendees tell me it was a great event. ~

Wednesday, June 28

This morning, I join the mass exodus from Las Vegas on a flight full of HR professionals. The plane is abuzz with folks who have found new insights and befriended people from a wide range of industries. Without a doubt, the best part of the SHRM National Conference was the chance to meet attendees and speakers and to speak candidly about topics that matter to all of us.

There were other key take-aways. Here are some of the most compelling examples:

• Company management must include HR in the strategic decision-making process in order to survive in this new economy;
• Be creative when recruiting and retaining your top talent. Use 'outside of the box' techniques when seeking new employees and keep an eye on the special practices that other companies are using to compete for talent;
• A strong brand and sense of corporate identity will help your organization to strive in this market;
• Buyer beware! With all of the HR vendors and companies catering to the HR professional market, you must do your homework. Talk to your colleagues in different industries to help make sense of what goods and services are right for you and your organization;
• Have fun. HR is a crucial player in the success of organizations. Feel valued and enjoy the praise that you deserve!

Here are notes from two of the most exciting sessions:

Hiring from the Heart was presented by the always enjoyable Libby Sartain, V.P. of People at Southwest Airlines. This is a company that receives over 150,000 applications, conducts about 40,000 interviews, and hires approximately 4,000 employees each year. What is its secret to success? Libby was quick to share invaluable tips in this crazy job market. First on the list: keep it honest and simple! For the past four years, Southwest has been among the top four of the Fifty Best Companies To Work For, a fact that has generated a huge interest in the company. But quite simply, not everyone can work in - or is even suited for - the airline industry.

She detailed the importance of finding the right employee fit. She also explained that if a new hire does not exhibit the correct behavior for your organization, its better to save him or her the heartache of trying to conform. There are too many jobs out there for someone to be unhappy in your organization.

Some other reasons behind Southwest's success include: inventive sourcing techniques, such as tapping into niche markets like mothers returning to work, retirees, college kids on break from school, high school graduates who plan to attend some college, etc; behavioral interviews, wherein past behavior is used as a predictor for future job performance; new hire training and orientation; and giving new hires a base on which they can grow and prosper. Anyone who has the chance to see Libby speak should definitely go. She is truly inspirational!

Another session of note was entitled Online Staffing Strategies: The Impact of Emerging Technologies on the Employment Process. The authors of CareerXRoads, Gerry Crispin and Mark Mehler, presented their views on getting the edge in cyberspace during this workplace revolution. They also shared insights on how companies can best address a key issue: attracting the right candidates.

Speaking of company practices, here is a list of corporate luminaries with rather unique on-line offerings: Hewlett Packard, Dell, Sun, Cisco, PricewatershouseCoopers, Agilent, General Mills, and Ernst & Young. ~

SPECIAL NOTE:

At this year's conference, you may have been overwhelmed by the number of traditional and online companies that claimed to be the "end all and be all" source for HR professionals. I, too, felt overwhelmed by all of the offerings. We at Vault hope to help you make sense of this flooded market. Most of you mentioned that you used Vault for its unique content, as well as for its career and workplace insights (along with the free job board - still a great bargain in today's job board market). You feedback on HR Vault was very positive. In fact, most of you believe that using HR Vault is a "value add" in your day!

For me, the most rewarding part of the conference was the chance to meet so many other HR professionals and to talk with you about your HR issues, concerns, and knowledge. Thanks to all the folks who stopped by the Vault booth to chat, pick up information, and grab one of our new Vault.com tee shirts! I hope to see all of you in San Francisco in June 2001!

Written by Carla McKay, Director of Vault.com's Human Resource Channel. Please send your comments and feedback to cmckay@staff.vault.com.