Planning a conference budget means choosing between a growing number of employer branding and talent acquisition events, each with a different city, format, and audience.
This list compares the events worth prioritizing, based on scale, speaker depth, and the kind of case studies each one delivers, including the Employer Branding Conference, which opens the calendar in Lisbon on 1 and 2 February.
Why the 2027 conference calendar matters for talent leaders
Talent shortages in engineering, IT, finance, and other qualified profiles continue to push employer branding from a communications exercise to a budget line with measurable expectations.
This shift is why conference attendance has become harder to justify without a clear return: HR and talent acquisition leaders need direct access to case studies, benchmarks, and peers facing the same hiring pressure, not another generic panel on “authenticity.”
The events below reflect that reality. Each one is included because it offers a specific format – workshops, awards, case study tracks, or certification – that a general HR conference does not.
How this list was built
Four criteria shaped this comparison: the size and international reach of the audience, the depth of the speaker line-up, whether the event centers on practical case studies rather than vendor pitches, and whether attendance converts into a recognized certification or credential.
Four criteria used to compare employer branding conferences: audience reach, speaker depth, case study focus, and certification value
Events that only offer a trade-show floor without a structured content program were left out.
The conferences to prioritize in 2027
1. Employer Branding Conference – Lisbon, 1–2 February 2027
The Employer Branding Conference opens the international calendar for 2027. The event runs across two days: the first is dedicated to workshops in masterclass format, the second to the main conference program.
Past editions have brought together more than 300 attendees, over 100 companies from around the world, and more than 30 speakers per edition – a scale that positions it among the most consistent employer branding gatherings in Southern Europe.
Attendance qualifies for 8 or 16 hours of certification, issued through the Certifier platform, depending on whether a participant joins the workshop day, the conference day, or both.
For talent acquisition managers and employer branding leads looking for a case-study-driven, workshop-first format early in the year, this is the natural opening event of the 2027 season.
👉 Check EBC27 ticket prices and passes
2. RAD Awards – London, 28 January 2027
An awards-format event recognizing recruitment and talent acquisition campaigns. Useful for teams that want to benchmark creative and campaign work against industry peers rather than attend a full conference program.
3. Talent Acquisition Week – San Diego, 1–4 February 2027
A four-day US-based event running in parallel with the Lisbon calendar, aimed at talent acquisition leaders who need a North American perspective on sourcing, employer brand, and recruitment technology.
4. HR Tech Europe – Amsterdam, typically late April
Focused on HR technology and recruitment tooling, with its most recent edition held on 22–23 April 2026. A relevant stop for teams evaluating the technology layer behind employer branding and candidate experience.
5. HR Week Lisbon – Lisbon, typically late April
A second Lisbon-based fixture in the spring calendar, with its 2026 edition held on 28–29 April. Complements the February conference for organizations that want two touchpoints in the same market within a single year.
6. EBCon – Bucharest, typically mid-May
Organized by Catalyst, EBCon’s most recent edition ran on 11–12 May 2026. A relevant option for organizations with a footprint in Central and Eastern Europe.
7. Future Talent Summit – Stockholm, typically mid-June
A Nordic-market event, with its 2026 edition held on 16–17 June. Useful for employer branding leads with hiring needs across Scandinavia.
8. Rec Fest UK – Knebworth, typically early July
A large-scale, festival-format recruitment event, with its 2026 edition held on 8 July. Distinct from the case-study-driven format of most events on this list, it favors a higher-energy, high-attendance environment.
9. The Global Talent Strategy & Intelligence Conference – Amsterdam, typically September
Organized by iG Intelligence Group, this event centers on workforce planning and talent intelligence rather than employer brand communication alone, with its most recent edition held in September 2026.
10. HR Week Barcelona – Barcelona, typically November
Closes the calendar year with a Southern European fixture, following a 2026 edition on 10 November. A relevant option for organizations planning their following year’s employer branding budget after the main conference season.
Choosing where to invest first
Not every organization needs to attend all ten events. For teams with a limited travel budget, the practical approach is to prioritize one flagship, case-study-driven conference early in the year – to set direction and benchmark against peers – and one campaign-recognition or technology-focused event later in the year to validate execution.
The Employer Branding Conference is built for the first role: it opens the year with a workshop day designed to leave participants with structured priorities, and a conference day built around practical case studies rather than theory.
Reviews from past participants describe the same value consistently: a concentrated, international peer group and direct access to companies solving the same hiring problems.
👉 Read what past attendees say about EBC
If your organization has a case study worth sharing rather than only attending, EBC27 is also accepting speaker and case-study submissions for the 2027 edition.
👉 Submit a case study or apply to speak
Next step
Registrations for the Employer Branding Conference by Talent Portugal, in Lisbon on 1–2 February 2027, are open.
