Hello Austin, it's that time of year again. Soon the ice and the sleet will melt away, and Spring will give way to a fantastic tradition: South by Southwest. This year, SXSW will be held from March 7-16th, and for those of you unfamiliar with the exact parameters of the event - allow me to explain. SXSW is not just a music scene, there are three parts to this affair. Music, Film, And Interactive - there are also trade shows.  Each part brings something new and interesting, allowing small businesses, big business, and everything in between to showcase who they are and proliferate the spread of creativity and technology. [caption id="attachment_2566" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo Courtesy of The Austin Statesman[/caption] Access to SXSW is dependent on what it is you are looking to gain. There are specific badges for certain events, and an all encompassing badge for everything. If you are going just for the music, you don’t necessarily need a badge at all, but be prepared to wait in line. If you are going to view the film and interactive exhibitions, you can just purchase the Gold Badge. The film shows don’t require a badge, but interactive does.  A platinum badge (access to everything) will cost you roughly $1595, Gold $1395, Music $750, Film $625, Interactive $1195. Click here to buy a badge. Here is a break down of each individual attraction: FILM:  From the SXSW website: “A SXSW Film Badge is an affordable way for industry professionals and fans alike to gain priority access to screenings, full access to the Film Conference (including Convergence panels with Interactive), the SXSW Trade Show, and great opportunities for networking at lively parties and social events. Without a Film, Gold or Platinum Badge, you may also purchase single admission tickets at the door before individual screenings, space permitting.” Opening night films announced: Chef, Veronica Mars, and Cosmos. Venues: Paramount Theater, Congress & 7th. This is our largest venue. Stateside Theater, Congress & 8th. Ritz 1 & 2, 6th & Trinity. Around the corner from the Convention Center, the Ritz is beloved for its full bar and tasty menu. Violet Crown Cinema, 2nd & Guadalupe. Topfer Theater at ZACH, Toomey Rd off S. Lamar. Rollins Theater at The Long Center, W Riverside Dr off S. 1st Vimeo Theater in Exhibit Hall 2 at the Austin Convention Center, E Cesar Chavez & Red River.   INTERACTIVE: Must buy a badge to attend this event (either Interactive Badge, Gold, or Platinum) The 21st annual SXSW Interactive Festival is held from Friday, March 7 through Tuesday, March 11. From the SXSW website, "An incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, the 2014 event features five days of compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to preview the technology of tomorrow today. "   MUSIC: Most young people seem to be more interested in the music aspect of SXSW.  Hundreds of well-known and popular musicians and artists flock to the city to showcase their talents.  You can purchase a Music badge, which will grant you access to any show and any venue, or you can hit up the list of RSVP's to attend for free.  With the RSVP, there is no guarantee you will get in, and most of the time requires you to wait in a long line.  The list of show case artists can be viewed here with most of the artists and venues being released later in February. So be on the look out by subscribing to the newsletter. There is also a comedy portion to SXSW, in which you can see your favorite comedians [caption id="attachment_2567" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo Courtesy of mashable.com[/caption] Trade Shows:  From the SXSW website “A four day business exhibition spanning all three conferences (Interactive, Film and Music). Admission to the SXSW Trade Show is open to all SXSW badge holders and all SXSW Showcasing artist wristbands. 65,000 people attended the Trade Show in 2013. Leaders in the music, film, and interactive industries all converge in one location, providing a one-of-a-kind opportunity. International participation is unparalleled with 66 countries represented at SXSW 2013.Who exhibits at the SXSW Trade Show? Start-ups, established brands, and everything in between. Labels, distributors, merchandise companies, studios, film/music/technology universities, talent and marketing agencies, festivals, related non-profits, associations, commissions. Software and hardware manufacturers, social media solutions, infrastructure and hosting providers, SEO and marketing services.”   List of Places to RSVP to: www.rsvpster.com www.austinchronicle.com www.do512.com www.showlistaustin.com www.sonicvaultaustin.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/477366332298459/ Who to follow on twitter: @southbyfreenoms @Sxshhh @sxfreenoms @SXSW For More twitter accounts http://rsvpster.com/2014/01/sxsw-2014-follow-these-twitter-accounts/   Helpful websites/tips: www.sxsw.com for all your general questions http://showlistaustin.com/ will list free/unofficial shows that are happening http://www.austinbiketoursandrentals.com/ RENT A BIKE http://schedule.sxsw.com/ schedule of events by DAY http://www.tms.com/sxsw/  to buy a Shuttle pass to get around Should you choose to go to a music venue to see about your RSVP, best advice is to get there EARLY as possible.   Where to Stay, How much it Will Cost: Unfortunately, there's no real good answer for this. Most hotels in the downtown area will try to price gauge as the event gets closer and closer.  If you choose to buy a badge, it is easier to register through the SXSW website for a hotel room.  And of course, there’s always craigslist, airbnb, and couchsurfer.  

The New Year brings an assortment of possibilities for you and your company, and perhaps even new opportunities for hiring people to your team.  This is typically a multi-tier process that requires lots of effort to hire the best and most qualified candidates.  Posting job descriptions, sifting through resumes, holding interviews – these are tasks which should not be taken lightly, and often times the process can be tricky.  However, there are certain steps you can take to ensure you are getting the right candidates into your door, and ultimately the best for the job. Job Description  This should be constructed less as a “description” and more as an advertisement.  What opportunities will working for your company provide? It should read less like a “this is what you will be doing” and more like “this is what you GET to do!” Really sell your company, provide information about who you are and what your mantra is.  This will ensure excitement among the potential employees and encourage them to apply.  The more people that apply, the more talent you have to choose from. Also, include a list of character traits you are looking for.  Experience is a good indicator of knowledge, but it doesn’t always mean that person will be the best fit for your team.  What is it that your company does, and what will they be doing in that specific role? Are you a team of strict and by the books professionals? Or are you a team of laid back designers? Try branching out from your typical phrases like “hard-working” or “analytical.”  Really get to the core of the job and your business, for example “we like to work hard to play hard” or “process oriented”. Beyond the Resume   What makes a good resume? Well, mostly it depends on who is looking at it.  Now that you’ve identified the job and what traits you are looking for, somehow you need to decipher which applicants fit this model based on their resume.  There are very basic things that separate candidates just by looking solely at their resume, typically education and experience.  Narrowing down a strong pool of prospects from these criteria should be the very first step.  The next few are a little more interpretive and variant.  For some roles, including mid to upper level positions, hiring based on experience may be the most practical.  For others, hiring based on experience may seem like the most efficient way, but does not guarantee you are getting the best person for the job.  Look beyond the resume at other credentials they have to offer such as a portfolio, writing samples, or even references. And of course much of the interview process allows you to look beyond the resume as well.  Skype or phone interviews are often the first initial point of contact; these should also serve as an additional filter before the actual in person interview. A lot of companies have also begun to adhere to challenging prescreening techniques, such as having potential candidates take online personality tests or field-related quizzes.  All of this information is useful for finalizing the best possible team member. Interview So they have managed to make it this far, you liked what you saw and maybe what you heard, and now you invite them down for the interview process.  In many larger companies, interviews are conducted in rounds or stages, with the potential candidates coming in as many as two or three times.  This elongated interview stage can be eliminated by following the above steps.  These interviews should be with applicants you are seriously considering for the job. Asking the right questions is of course the crux of every great interview.  There are lists of basic interview questions that can be found in any corner of the internet or among interview materials, however, I find it difficult to grasp how you could expect to receive dynamic answers from basic questions.  We are trying to find the perfect candidate, aren't we? Some hiring managers have informed me of the “rapid fire” technique in which they ask a serious of questions in quick succession to see how creative or interesting the replies are.  The company that I work for is very process oriented, so one of the interview questions was, “Explain how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to someone who has never made one before.” Probe into their work experience by asking pertinent questions, how they handled certain kinds of situations, and what they expect to gain by working for your company.  This will give you an insight into their overall personality, how well they work under pressure, and a glimpse of their knowledge base. And lastly, maintaining an open line of communication toward prospective candidates after the interview is key.  After all, you have asked them to jump through many hoops, giving them an estimated timetable of when they should hear back from you is very little to ask.