Firefighter, Soldier, Police Officer…Event Planner?

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Forbes recently released its annual summary of the most stressful jobs and coming in at number eight was event coordinator.[Tweet "Most stressful jobs... Number 8: Event Coordinator"] Those of us who have planned events, whether every day or once in a while, know there is a lot of pressure in making sure everything goes just right on event day. While errors are not life threatening as in the other professions listed, the adrenaline rush that comes from knowing you only get one chance to make it right is considerable. Add in the stress leading up to the event - are enough people registered? Why haven't all of the speakers sent in their slides? What if a giant storm hits right before the event? - and the ranking of the profession starts to make sense.

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How Millennials Are Changing the Meeting Industry

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As we highlighted in an earlier post, there is a clear desire in government to attract younger workers from the millennial generation. Whether the federal government is successful in attracting the best and the brightest remains to be seen, but the truth is [Tweet "Millennials will continue to grow in the workforce. What does this mean for event profs?"]millennials will continue to grow in number and influence in the workforce. So what does this mean for business event professionals?

This article does a decent job in breaking down the key elements that millennials expect in an event. Continue reading →

Millennials and the Future of the Federal Workforce

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There has been considerable coverage of the aging federal workforce and the desire to attract millennials (people born from 1980-1994) to a career in public service.

This generation is said to [Tweet "Millennials value a feeling of knowing the work they are doing is meaningful and making an impact."]value a feeling of knowing that the work they are doing is meaningful and is making an impact on the community or world at large. With this in mind, public service jobs seem tailor made for these eager and idealistic workers of the future. Why then, is the government struggling to recruit them? Much of it comes down to a culture change in how the government does business. From reporting across the web on this topic, we've pulled out what we feel are three of the most critical areas for change and focus. Continue reading →

A Look Ahead at 2015 Events

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While we've seen a trend toward smaller, more intimate events, 2015 signals the return of a number of conferences and shows that are mainstays of the Government IT industry. Here's what you can expect from the "usual suspects" in the first few months of 2015.

  • Federal Networks (Feb 23-24)- This government-wide conference focuses on net-centric solutions to the government's biggest challenges. The event gives great access to the insight from government CIOs and other high ranking IT officials. Signed up for 2015 are CIOs from Veterans Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Homeland Security, and Social Security Administration.
  • AFCEA Homeland Security Conference (March 10-11) -- AFCEA International brings together the people in charge of ensuring success--from subject matter experts to frontline responders--for two days of open discussion about the various aspects of homeland security. Cathy Lanier, Chief, Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C., is a confirmed speaker and will lead a session titled "Ask the Chief."
  • International Wireless Communications Expo (March 16-20) - This show has been around for almost 40 years and in today's mobile world is more relevant than ever. This education-centered conference provides a wide variety of workshops, training, and short courses led by industry and government experts.
  • InfoSec World 2015 Conference and Expo (March 23-25) - This annual show features conference sessions, workshops and summits that address the most pressing matters in information security today. This year's speaker line-up includes a diverse set of voices ranging from the U.S. Secret Service to WalMart.
  • Sea-Air-Space (April 13-15) - This show, run by the Navy League, is now the largest maritime exposition in the U.S. The event combines a large expo floor displaying the latest in naval technology and equipment with professional development sessions focused on strategy and policy issues, as well as exhibit hall speaker sessions and demos.

What about you? What events are on your calendar for the first quarter?

 

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30 Creative Ideas for Content Creation at Your Event

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From time to time GovEvents will come across information we feel our members and audience would benefit from. Here's something we wanted to share:

Originally posted on blog.sli.do

Events are treasure troves of priceless content creation opportunities for #EventProfs. The content generated at a single event can nourish your social media and blog for weeks if not months to come. By sharing valuable content pieces, you're able to engage your online event community and significantly extend the life cycle of your conference.

Therefore, content creation becomes one of the most crucial tasks in order to market your event and sustain your community. Continue reading →