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IDG Opensource/CloudWorld and DICE job fair sad and dismal; BigFix flakes on DICE follow this discussion
Attended IDG World Expo's 2009 OpenSource WorldTM, Next Generation Data CenterTM (NGDCTM) and CloudWorldTM conferences - all held at once at the Moscone Center in San Francisco... My overall opinion about these technology event and the DICE career fair held up on the third floor = pathetic, sad and dismal - and an embarrassment to IDG and DICE.
According to Open Systems Media (August 10, 2009,) attendees could expect there to be "thousands of highly qualified IT professionals, technology buyers and C-level decision-makers" (Open Systems Media, 2009). Also the event was referred to the as the OpenSource World, Next Generation Data Center and CloudWorld (Open Systems Media, 2009.)
According to a Reuters.com August 7 posting: "the two shows attracted close to 10,000 participants and 200 exhibitors from around the globe" and the posting referred to the event as "IDG World Expo, the leading producer of world-class tradeshows and events, today announced the successful completion of LinuxWorld(R) and Next Generation Data CenterTM (NGDCTM), " (Reuters, 2009.) Please note: August 7th Reuters.com posting about an event being held August 11-13th but states the events were held on August 4-7, 2008.
A conference that was suppose to be the combination of three major technology expos ended up being a small group of booths huddled in the middle of a large conference hall - like a bunch of grade school kids getting ready for a game of dodge ball. Most attendees wandered the expo floor confused over which organizations were opensource, which were cloud service providers and what organizations were focused on opensource application or data center development. The confusion stated from the minute you entered into Moscone West - greeted by a long line by the combining of job fair and convention attendees.
Sun Microsystems had a booth that consisted of plywood computer modules with cardboard posters hanging from the expo booth like someone's laundry. Ubuntu seemed to constantly have a group of people wanting to chat or debate with booth members - who seemed to be having long conversations with opensource enthusiasts. Talked with a software engineer with Computer Associates and straight up asked him "Do you really think that enterprise application decision makers will be attending this event?" The software engineer gave me no answer, except a facial response that said the thought had crossed other CA minds as well.
I went upstairs to the DICE job fair and was very surprised to see maybe 8 booths (12 companies and virtual representation was advertised) Other than the obvious long lines for Robert Half International, Lawrence Berkeley Labs and Amazon, the other job fair tables looked one-person attendee kiosks in the mall. Representatives from the FBI were simply handing out expensive and thick literature packs and referring folks simply to the website. Rackspace Hosting was actually trying to recruit people for their Texas location.
Easy dropped on the Robert Half and Amazon booth for a minute or two (there was plenty of space - don't think anyone noticed), the majority of the job searchers seemed to be marketing, sales or technology specific... while Amazon was searching for technical talent who could figure out a guru-code example they had on a conference tablet next to 6 foot shirted table. If someone would have simply gone down the lines and said "We're looking for software engineers" - the lines would be equal to a showing of a documentary on basket weaving. Robert Half was processing job searchers like a chicken production plan. I'm not knocking Robert Half... - if it was not for Robert Half - many candidates would have found no benefit to attending this very sad and dismal job fair at all.
Some of you out there might think that calling this multiple conference and job fair "sad, dismal and pathetic" a bit harsh or over-the-top... well - I answer by stating: BigFix (advertised as attending the event) - "flaked" (exact quote -when asked) on the job fair... did not even bother to show up; I also noticed many companies that were listed in press releases and online postings (to promote the event) had speakers at the event, but had no or subdued representation on the conference floor.
When a hiring employer "blows off" a job fair = that's pretty bad... (and a waste of time and effort for those job seekers - in these economic times do not have funds or time to waste.) And if the event is no longer called LinuxWorld - I think IDG should stop referring to it as such (just my opinion.)
We have people beating up Mark Thomas of WorkYourCareer.com - and commenting on my blogs and group postings - about how evil it is to charge people to meet employers during these economic times... - if DICE's job fair is any indication of the effectiveness of attending a job fair where the employer pays money to attend the event - and won't even show up... - what does that have to say about the ROI to the conference attendees and job searchers that attended ??
I posted, blogged and promoted this event on the Electronic Recruiters Exchange, LinkedIn Groups, and my personal network... - personally apologize to all who attend this event upon my recommendation. Wondering if the Second OpenSource World, Next Generation Data Center and CloudWorld is going to lead to a third... Well - they could always go back to LinuxWorld (maybe not.)
References:
Reuters (2009, August 7). IDG World Expo Completes Successful LinuxWorld Conference & Expo and Second Annual.... Reuters. Retrieved August 13, 2009 from http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS197458+07-Aug-2008+BW20080807
Open Systems Media, . (2009, August 10). OpenSource World, Next Generation Data Center and CloudWorld Kick Off This Week in San Francisco. E-Cast. Retrieved August 13, 2009 from http://www.compactpci-systems.com/news/Conferences+and+Awards/18603
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