Picture this: Speed dating, but instead of finding a date, you're finding a job.
The best part? It's not just a hypothetical opportunity. On Dec. 4, Talent Jam is back in Charlotte at Heist Brewery and Barrel Arts.
A sort of live-action job board/networking hybrid, Talent Jam debuted in Charlotte this April.
Now in its second iteration, hosted by PitchBreakfast, the event features dueling pitches between those hiring (the "need talent") and those looking for a job (the "have talent"), Taylar Middleton, lead organizer of Talent Jam Charlotte, explained. The goal of the evening is to unite a "have talent" with a "need talent," providing companies and Charlotteans with jobs and employees.
The pitch portion of the evening isn't the only way to make an impression, as the night is capped off by networking.
And regardless of whether attendees are pitching or networking, there's a unique sort of energy that the Talent Jam team is excited to experience again, Program Director Stephanie Kissel explained to Charlotte Inno.
This special vibe is something in the event's DNA from the start, when founder Tom Ryan decided the issue of talent access in North Carolina needed to be remedied.
“It was really on a whim that we said, ‘Hey, this will be fun, let’s get people together and short-circuit the process,” Ryan said. “Let’s just try to force some collisions here and see what happens. That’s really how it was born.”
Talent Jam, while based in Asheville, has since spread to several cities — including some abroad (Cork, Ireland). But Ryan said Charlotte has been the largest ecosystem that has hosted the event, and he's ready to see what the Queen City version brings to the table.
Regardless of where the Talent Jam is held, it's ability to genuinely connect people remains a hallmark.
“There’s something pretty magical about folks getting up there and being vulnerable,” Ryan said. “It’s a great equalizer — everyone up there, for the most part, is feeling a little nervous and uncomfortable, and they let themselves be vulnerable. And that’s where the true authenticity of the event comes out.”
