This week I am at the AWWA ACE show, held in Denver, networking and enjoying the company of over 12,000 other professionals who work in the water space. ACE, along with WEFTEC, are two of the largest water and wastewater conferences in the world and certainly the largest in the United States. Clients, customers, regulators, operators, engineers, and many others who make the industry what it is share knowledge, contacts, and information enriching each other.
One often overlooked opportunity is the chance for top talent to meet with and talk to great companies looking to grow.
Over the years, Hunter Crown has set up dozens upon dozens of interviews at conferences like WEFTEC and ACE.
If you choose to pursue your next great opportunity, these conference really cannot be beat when it comes to concentrating interviews and meeting with potential employers. I have had candidates interview with five different companies over three days. Imagine if you were this candidate and you tried scheduling this number of interviews outside of the conferences. Assuming the companies are not local, you would have to take time off work, fly from one city to another, and manage a balancing act of trying to get offers while still needing to meet with other teams. Conferences simply are the most efficient place to pursue new engagements.
Additionally, consider the timing of ACE and WEFTEC. ACE is mid-year and WEFTEC is the beginning of October. If you are meeting with employers at ACE, you have already received your annual bonus from the preceding year (assuming a fiscal year that is based upon a calendar year) and you have a good sense of how your current company is performing. Likewise, at WEFTEC, the third quarter has closed and there is enough time to transition before the holidays.
While you may not always be able to plan when you’ll launch a job search, if you have the opportunity, consider how a major conference could be your best tool.
See you at ACE this week or WEFTEC in the fall!
Written by: Austin Meyermann, Founder and President of Hunter Crown, LLC
Looking for your next great opportunity?
Have hiring and/or recruiting needs?