Don't Talk to me about SHRM '09, it Hurts my Heart

I still got the blues about not going to this year's SHRM conference. I try not to think about all the informative sessions, vendors with their shiny toys (what a pretty HRIS- I want that!), and most importantly, the cool people that I won't get to stalk meet. It's enough to make you go into therapy. Where's that EAP number, damnit?

But this post isn't about my complaints or to wail and moan about the unfairness of it all. This is actually a "Thank You" letter, of sorts. When I wrote my original post I didn't think that I would get much of a response. However, so many people commented and retweeted it that, to my surprise, it even made it onto the SHRM conference blog! So it seems that, through sheer luck and timing, I tapped into something that a lot of other HR pros have been feeling. That is, we want to stay connected to our peers, advance ourselves, and support the HR profession. When we can't it's frustrating, especially if all that's holding people back is money.

So the question is this-What are we going to do about it? In my previous post I made a suggestion about a #whatilearned hashtag. I'm happy to say that a few people have agreed to use it. This, along with the #SHRM09 hashtag will help to focus people's Twitter search for relevant content. Also, there's going to be a number of bloggers (try here and here, to name a few) at this year's event who'll write about their experiences. So there will be a sea of conference information out there shortly for us to swim in.

Now about the money. Honestly, there's no easy soluton to that. The economy's stabilizing in most sectors but budgets remain tight for most organizations. I am pessimistic about the chances that my company will pay for me to go to next year's conference. I am excited though about the response I received regarding a scholarship for HR bloggers. In particular, Ben Eubanks has fully confirmed his commitment to working with me to set this up! Make no mistake, this is a long term goal; it's not going to happen tomorrow. However, Ben and I are cooking up something delicious that we think will help. When it's ready to serve we'll let you know!

So while I'm sad about not going I'm excited about the present. Not being able to go has given me the chance to connect with some great people, online and off. And if all goes right, it will have been the catalyst for an excting new adventure. So to everyone out there-thank you, enjoy #SHRM09, and I look forward to connecting wth you at next year's conference!