Few industries are as dynamic as recruiting. The state of the industry can turn on a dime, making it vital for recruiters to stay connected. What better place to learn what's happening in the industry than by attending a local or national recruitment event? In this article, we speak to a reprepresentative from the International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC) to learn about trends in events programming. We talk to the IQPC about where the industry is going and what topics recruiters can expect to see on conference and seminar agendas this year.

According to the IQPC, finding quality hires is a top priority today and will continue to be so in the future. In order to manage high candidate volumes, recruiters have added a slew of screening tools to the hiring process. Our source believes these tools are here to stay. However, with increased competition for hires on the horizon, it is important for companies to assess how screening tools fit into the hiring processes. Time-to-hire will become critical as companies are faced with adding staff at a rapid rate. Recruiters also need to balance the candidate experience with process demands. Too many interviews and tests can be a turnoff to weary job seekers. The lesson here: companies with flexible and adaptive hiring processes in place before the surge hits will come out ahead.

Outreach is another hot topic. According to the IQPC, recruiters everywhere are looking for more dynamic ways to reach out to candidates. As hiring stands to become more competitive, companies will need to differentiate themselves more in the marketplace. If you've cut back on outreach, now is the time to start investing in PR, IT, and open houses to help sell your opportunities. Attending an industry event is a great place to get new ideas. Passive referrals are also more important than ever. With only 15% of hires coming through job boards, tapping networks -- inside and outside the organization -- is more important than ever.

Also on the agenda are hiring metrics. The productivity and efficiency bug is here to stay. Once a subject only large corporation were interested in, our source sees the trend influencing small- and medium-size business as well. If you're interested in starting your own metrics program, a good first step is to assess your company's commitment. "If you're not loyal, forget about it," says the IQPC. "You have to stick with the program for at least five years to get results." Also, look at what other companies are doing. Attend industry events and gather information. Benchmark your organization against other industry leaders. Accenture, Wachovia, Capital One, and Wells Fargo have all achieved excellence in recruitment metrics and are good programs to study.

For those further along with their metric programs, experts across the country will be speaking on topics such as: best practices in aligning programs with corporate goals, framing program results, and getting an accurate read on diversity metrics. Common pitfalls in metrics programs is also a hot topic. According to the IQPC, "When it comes to metrics, people often get caught up in specifics." For instance, do you start measuring time-to-hire from the moment the CEO says "hire" or from the moment the job goes on online? Too much intricacy and precision can lead to confusion and wasted time -- the very things metrics are meant to reveal and weed out.

A turnaround year, 2004 is definitely the year to get out there and connect with others in the human-capital community. The hiring market is changing, and if past is any precedent, things could heat up fast. Attending seminars, conferences, or association meetings is the best way to get a pulse on the industry. Whether its metrics, outreach, or technology, others have been there too. Peers and industry experts alike can help you resolve the issues you need to resolve in order to advance your recruitment program.

Recruiters World Special Reports is a timely, in-depth news series that explores vital issues and trends affecting the human-capital industry. Published monthly, Recruiters World Special Reports is presented and distributed exclusively through Recruiters World in Review. Visit the Special Reports archive to read previous articles. Watch for new articles as they appear on the Recruiters World home page.