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.

MPI // Soundings Founder & CEO, Tracy Judge, named one of MPI’s 50 Up and Comers to watch!

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.

EVENT MB // The tight labor market is fuelling demand for freelance services in the event industry. For their part, planners are moving into freelance work for greater flexibility, relief from career burnout, and the chance to focus on aspects of the job they enjoy most.

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.

What freelancers need to plan and run successful virtual and hybrid events.

Listen to Episode 11 of the Top Floor Podcast with Soundings Founder & CEO, Tracy Judge.

EVENTEX // Congratulations to Soundings Founder & CEO, Tracy Judge, for being named one of Eventex’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the Event Industry!

THE MEETING PROFESSIONAL // "A return to events requires greater flexibility" Soundings has made it to the August edition of the Meeting Professional! As we head towards an exciting recovery filled with projected major growth, understanding the state of talent is imperative in preparing for the future.

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.

CORPORATE EVENT NEWS // Across all aspects of the industry, labor shortages will cause anything from headaches to cancellations for the foreseeable future. Now that the pandemic is receding, Tracy Judge, Founder & CEO of Soundings, is no longer ahead of her time in raising the alarms about how short-staffed teams are going to operate events.

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?

COVID-19 has forced many event and hospitality professionals to think about new ways to generate income, and long-time corporate employees are opting to take advantage of freelance/contract opportunities. Whether it is project management or virtual event planning, freelancing has become popular for both the company needing help and the professional seeking project-based work.

Do you love the idea of freelancing, but also love the perks of corporate world benefits?

In addition to salary, employer sponsored health insurance, a retirement account, and paid vacation are standard benefits of full-time employment. These benefits are the main reason professionals choose the employee model vs freelancer.

You don’t have to give up all benefits to become a freelancer! As a best practice, add 15-30% to your rate to offset costs like payroll taxes, 401k match, insurance and workman’s compensation. As a freelancer, your rate should include the cost of providing those items yourself.