As the industry changes, event professionals must upskill and stay current on industry certifications. Learn how to stand out from the competition and remain relevant in the changing industry.

Through conversations with hundreds of organizations, Soundings has identified key corporate talent needs and how to solve them. Explore how to find the best event talent solutions in the current work landscape.

Talent in the event and hospitality industry must stay up to date on the latest certifications, technologies, and expertise–not only to stand out from the competition but also to help meet customers’ needs in the changing work landscape.

The new workforce has a focus on specialized skill sets, changing the working relationship between organizations and talent.

Demand for in-person events is high, and planning for them in the wake of a work landscape shake-up is still a challenge. Explore the current state of the event industry and how to plan and staff for the return to in-person events.

The Great Reshuffle has presented many meeting and event professionals with the opportunity to reassess their work-life balance and pursue a successful freelance career.

Now more than ever the event industry needs agile talent to help the world adapt to the shifting work landscape. An investment in agile talent is an investment in the future of work.

Soundings sets our talent community up for optimal success by providing them with education, resources, community, and opportunities to shine in their genius zones.

More than 56 million people freelanced this year, according to Upwork’s and Freelancers Union’s “Freelancing in America: 2018” survey. As the workforce continues to gravitate toward remote and flexible positions—Nasdaq predicted the percentage of working Americans choosing freelance work over a traditional 9-5 job to rise to 43 percent by 2020—the meetings and events industry should be collectively embracing the shift.

The economy is changing constantly, and with these changes business is being conducted in new ways. Freelancers will need to keep up to date on new technology and soft skills in order to thrive in this competitive job market. Coursera and LinkedIn Learning offer many free opportunities to level up! Learn the newest project management systems, earn a certificate in instructional design or marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The Pandemic Protocol Certification is especially useful. Learn more about the Pandemic Onsite Protocol training by MPI here. Cvent is one of the leading technology providers offering solutions for virtual and hybrid events. Cvent now offers free courses for Meeting Professionals through Cvent Academy.

Live Meetings are coming back but what has changed? Hotels and service may look a little different than we are used to. Here is what we noticed. Hotels Rates Are Not Competitive Surprisingly, hotel space is more limited. Many cancelled events from 2020 have been re-booked for 4th quarter 2021 and 2022. As a result, hotel space is selling at a premium. Many travelers assume that hotels are reducing rates to attract guests but, they don’t need to.

Many are anxious to meet again but are we ready for live meetings? Whether it is a live or hybrid event, meeting professionals can create a safe environment for attendees and staff with proper planning and preparation. When sourcing meeting locations, ask for the current safety policies and emergency plan. How are they preventing infection?

SMART MEETINGS // Earlier this year we launched Soundings Thrive, a platform providing tools for freelancers to stay relevant in the marketplace and accelerate their business. Since the launch, our primary focus has been to help freelancers embrace their potential in the virtual event world.

Read about the top 5 things we have learned from launching the Platform Playground mock events program for freelancers.

THE MEETING PROFESSIONAL // Soundings Connect Founder + CEO, Tracy Judge, breaks down the questions and concerns meeting professionals should consider before they take their next steps in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the November 2020 edition of The Meeting Professional magazine.

REVIVE + INNOVATE BLOG || Like their hotels and venue partners, meeting and event industry organizations have also been rolling out initiatives to tackle health and safety concerns. As new information regarding COVID-19 becomes available, meeting and event industry professionals can access these resources as they navigate evolving government guidelines and establish new health and safety best practices. What’s more, these resources can be used to inform, educate and increase communication between stakeholders.

Virtual will never replace face-to-face events, but hybrid events are definitely here to stay. While we’re unable to travel, we’re turning to virtual events as a short-term solution for suspended live events. When it’s safe to travel again, we predict hybrid events will be the norm.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you’re getting the best price is to understand the different pricing models used for meeting and event services. As you know, pricing is not one size fits all. In fact, savvy companies often use multiple pricing models to meet their clients’ needs. Our Founder & Chief Connector, Tracy Judge, analyzes the pros and cons of the various pricing models used for event services to help customers and their service providers build trust and, of course, profitability. Read all about it here.

Did you know that each year there are 40 million victims of sex-trafficking globally? As meetings and events professionals who travel regularly throughout our careers, we are in the unique position to help combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the United States and around the world.

The news is in. The gig economy is going strong. According to the latest Deloitte study on Global Human Capital Trends, self-employment is expected to triple by 2020. That means 42 million independent workers will be available for hire.

MPI Blog // If meeting professionals have learned anything from the Great Recession, it’s that the travel industry is hit hard during an economic downturn. Throughout the recession, companies made significant cutbacks on corporate travel expenses. As a result of the reductions in spend, major meetings were canceled and non-revenue-generating departments such as meeting planning were downsized.