When evaluating our stage programme in recent years, we have repeatedly seen that the classic company presentation attracts fewer listeners. This also applies to presentations that generally present the company as an open, diverse and appreciative employer. As a rule of thumb, SXS visitors prefer tangible takeaways and learnings that they can take away from your presentation and avoid content that they could find themselves by doing their own research online.
Focus on these guidelines when designing your presentation. Your presentation should fulfil at least one of these goals: EDUCATION. ENTERTAINMENT. INSPIRATION.
Before you start choosing your topic, answer the following questions: What is your overall goal in taking part in STICKS & STONES and to what extent can your stage presence help you achieve it? Who exactly do you want to address and with what desired result?
Recruiting I: Is your primary goal to recruit LGBTIQ+ talent for a large number of your advertised positions in different areas of the company? Or do you want to expand your talent pool?
Recruiting II: Do you have a specific candidate profile in mind, do you want to fill a specific position, or are you focussed on a specific area of expertise due to your industry and company size?
Employer branding: Do you want to present yourself to the widest possible audience as a diverse and appreciative employer with an open corporate culture? Do you have an exciting diversity issue that you are currently working on or do you want to present the activities of your LGBTIQ+ network?
If you want to recruit as broadly as possible and appeal to as large an audience as possible, which in turn increases the number of visitors to your booth, we recommend focussing on “classic” career topics. This includes everything to do with the application process (writing a CV, preparing for a job interview), career planning (job search, job change, lateral entry) and soft skills and personal development (own organisation, leadership qualities, concentration, stress management). Here you can find a list of popular SXS presentations from the last years:
This track ensures the largest possible audience and allows you to address candidates with different backgrounds. However, if you want to address a specific profile and your target group is narrower, you can also cover specialised topics in your presentation. Statistically speaking, your audience will be smaller, but you will be addressing the “right”, interesting people with your presentation. Here are some examples from previous years:
The third track, which covers all topics related to (LGBTIQ+) Diversity Management & Inclusion, is less suitable for recruiting purposes, but would be a useful option if you want to present your company as an open employer, present your diversity management or your LGBTIQ+ network or network with other people from this field. Here are some examples from recent years:
Whether you choose German or English as your presentation language depends solely on your objective. We did not notice a significant difference in the number of listeners when comparing the turnout rates.
A well-formulated title is half the battle. It can be a little “clickbaity”: it should arouse interest and trigger questions from the person addressed – which then have to be answered in the course of the presentation.
In principle, you are free to choose which persons you send to our stage for a presentation, but please note the following:
A. Diversity: We adhere to a strict quota of 50+ per cent female speakers. Please keep this in mind when looking for a speaker in your organisation. We also encourage you to propose people of colour and neurodiverse people as speakers.
B. Role models: Depending on the topic chosen, it may be a good idea to select the speaker as an inspiring role model for the audience. Let people from your LGBTIQ+ network speak who can be a “best practice” example for the audience.
A large part of the added value of your presentation depends on the preparation and follow-up work.
Promote your talks independently – both externally via your website and social media channels to reach job seekers, and internally via newsletters, employee mailings, etc. to communicate your participation to your own (LGBTIQ+) employees and set an example within your organisation.
2024 Uhlala GmbH
Since 2009, we have been dedicating ourselves wholeheartedly every day to fostering diversity in the workplace. To achieve this, as LGBTIQ+ diversity experts, we collaborate closely with companies and organizations to collectively bring about sustainable and positive changes in corporate cultures and work environments. Empowering LGBTIQ+ individuals lies at the heart of our work. And it is precisely this dedication that makes us the leading LGBTIQ+ social business.
