Get Your Money's Worth at HR Seminars

03/05/07

Your company is sending you to a four day seminar with a hefty enrollment fee. The brochure says you’ll come away with lots of useful information, but that will happen only if you take an active part. These suggestions can maximize the return on your investment in the training.

Review the Menu
Read the agenda several days ahead and highlight sessions that will cover subjects that have the most value for you or your department. This is especially important if concurrent sessions force you to make either or choices. Here are some questions to help you prioritize the program.

Which sessions will cover new HR trends that you or your group needs current information about?

Which sessions will give you an opportunity to talk about major professional issues in an open forum or participate in roundtable discussions with a panel of experts? (They’ll expose you to the most viewpoints in the least time.)

If sessions overlap, can you buy audiotapes of those you’ll miss? (You may want to budget for the estimated cost.)

Will there be a get acquainted session the day before the program? (If so, plan to arrive early so you can grip ‘n’ grin with colleagues, meet presenters informally, and do some networking before the official start.)

Can you pre-register for specific workshops? (This would guarantee a spot in the most popular ones.)

Clear Your Desk
Delegate authority for pending decisions and close major deadlines before you leave. There’s nothing worse than leaving town with excess mental baggage.

In addition, round up essential materials and equipment, including a pocket tape recorder, spare batteries, and a supply of blank tapes; at least one legal pad and extra pens or refills; plenty of business cards; and a laptop computer.

That last item can come in handy for summarizing each day’s information while it’s still fresh, transcribing handwritten notes, jotting down ideas you’d like to try after you get back, and listing questions to ask in tomorrow’s sessions.

Check Out the Layout
After you’ve settled in, walk through the facilities to familiarize yourself with the location of conference rooms and other meeting places before the opening bell. Knowing the lay of the land saves time and ensures you’ll get to each session early enough to stake out a good seat.

Gather Information on Presenters
If you hear an impressive presenter, get a business card and bio sheet in case you want the person to talk to your company in the future. Contact information can also come in handy if you decide to order the speaker’s books or videos later on.

Cash in on Peers’ Opinions
You’ll probably have lots of interests in common with other attendees, so make it a point to mix and mingle informally at cocktail hours and late night gatherings.

They’re great places to “talk shop” about mutual concerns, swap ideas about how to deal with them, and generally pick each other’s brains. You’ll no doubt pick up a few methods or practices that are worth trying in your own outfit.

Be a Scrounger
When gathering potentially useful program materials, it’s better to grab too much than too little. You can always cull them later. Make yourself a walking magnet for anything that may help you, your department, or your internal customers. This may include, for example, discussion outlines from presenters and tip sheets with guidelines, suggestions, or sources of information about conference topics.

In addition, check registration tables and vendors’ displays for good deals on books, videos and audiotapes, software, and other conference related products. Discounts may exceed 20 percent of the non-conference price.