Friday, July 26, 2013

Illinois State Council is near and I want to make the connection!

In a few weeks, about 500 HR professionals will descend upon Oakbrook, IL for the SHRM state conference. I'm
excited about ILSHRM because state conferences matter and here is why.

Yes, the national is important and it was just here in Chicago in June. Yes, it was expensive and many of you let us know about that. But, Illinois is my state. I am really interested in learning about all of the HR changes and issues going on at the local level. I want to know how we are dealing with new issues like healthcare.

Our volunteers work tirelessly to make this happen. State conference planners volunteer to make this the best for us and make it happen with very little money. They depend on our attendance and feedback to give us what we want. Countless hours are spent working on this event and they do it while balancing their regular personal and professional lives.

I attended ILSHRM12 last year. This was my first state conference and I got to meet many people in person, whom I had met via social media. The content was rich, the keynotes were fantastic and
this year is no different.

Many say they don’t attend conferences because they are a waste of time. I disagree. It's a learning experience and a time to connect and share our experiences and how we do it in the trenches. I want to learn from all of you. I want to meet my peers and find different ways to do things. I want to know if I am the only one struggling with how to deal with a particular issue.

I don't get this opportunity very often. Social media is a great way to connect, but, contrary to what some may think, not everyone is on social media. I want to meet new HR pros, talk live, hear some laughter and share some experiences. Most importantly, I will not do karaoke, regardless of what you may have heard. 

About the Author:


John Hudson is currently an HR Manager with Discovery Communications and Harpo Studios in Chicago and has over 15 years of experience in the Human Resources field. He provides consultation and expertise in the areas of performance management, employee development, employee relations, compensation and recruiting. John has also worked in the insurance and consumer products environments supporting various departments including IT, Legal, Finance and Operations. John has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Indiana University and the SPHR certification. Follow him on Twitter @johnphudson.

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