RecruitCon 2018 Testimonial: Susan Vitale, CMO, iCIMS

On May 10–11, BLR® will be running RecruitCon 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. RecruitCon is the premier event for developing, adjusting, and improving your recruiting program to beat out the competition for top talent. Today, we are joined by presenter Susan Vitale, CMO of iCIMS with a word about her past experiences at RecruitCon.


Recruiting Daily Advisor: Help us set the stage. Why is recruiting so important today?
Vitale: Hiring proficient talent is arguably the most critical part of a successful business strategy. Having the right people in place is the top concern for CEOs and one of the most important drivers of the organization’s success. Because recruiting is so consumer-facing, it can impact your bottom line. Empty seats cost more than you think, as the average vacancy now costs $22,000 per position over the average period of 44 calendar days, according to a CEB Global Talent Trends report. Additionally, companies not only need to attract and retain the right employees, but they also need to provide a positive candidate experience because candidates who have a poor application and hiring experience may be less likely to be a customer of that organization, and they are more likely to share their negative experience online and on review sites, which could harm the overall brand.
Recruiting Daily Advisor: Have you presented at RecruitCon before?
Vitale: I presented at the first RecruitCon in Las Vegas in May 2016 with one of our enterprise customers, Lawrel Aufmuth, vice president of talent acquisition for Advantage Solutions, the nation’s leading business solutions provider to manufacturers and retailers. Our presentation updated attendees on the state of hiring, as we provided an overview of how the landscape has changed over the past few years. With a tightened labor market, employers need to work harder than ever before to attract and retain top talent, because jobseekers have more options. Together, we showcased how Advantage Solutions prioritizes the candidate experience and how the HR team transformed its application process to function more like a shopping experience, making it easier for candidates to apply to an open role.
This year, I am excited to return to RecruitCon and provide my outlook on the 2025 workplace. My presentation will provide attendees with insight into the newest tactics for attracting Millennials and Gen Zs, featuring case studies from some of our customers. Join me on day one of the conference— Thursday, May 10, from 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.— to learn more.
Recruiting Daily Advisor: What other activities besides presenting will you be participating in at RecruitCon?
In addition to presenting, I am looking forward to the session on college recruiting, presented by Chris Fitzpatrick, talent acquisition manager for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Enterprise Holdings is an iCIMS customer, and it has consistently been recognized as a top employer for entry-level employees, so I think Chris will offer some helpful advice for other companies who are trying to engage the best and brightest candidates entering the job market.
Recruiting Daily Advisor: What would you say to someone on the fence about attending RecruitCon? What makes RecruitCon special?
Vitale: RecruitCon is a great event for HR professionals and recruiters who are looking to fine-tune their recruiting strategies and are in the market for new software. If your company values top talent and bringing in the right candidates,  RecruitCon is a fitting event to get you up to speed on the latest tools and trends to help you get recruiting right. Learning sessions typically cover topics ranging from recruitment marketing, recruiting, employer branding, social and mobile trends, artificial intelligence (AI), and more. iCIMS will also be exhibiting at the show, so be sure to stop by to meet some of our team members, and get a demo of our talent acquisition software.