Recorded on May 21, 2026:
This week on episode 334 of the The AV Life Podcast, our hosts cover a wide-ranging discussion from practical hydration tips at InfoComm in Las Vegas to today’s hiring challenges in AV, AI impacts, and career growth.
The team kicks off with InfoComm preparation tips, emphasizing hydration, conference planning, certification preparation, and excitement around industry networking events. Murphy Daley’s Project Management Minute focuses on organization systems, emphasizing that successful AV project management depends on structured information management. A major discussion centers around hiring within higher education AV and IT departments. Hosts share experiences reviewing applicants, interview strategies, culture fit considerations, and concerns about candidate preparedness.
The conversation expands into workforce readiness, education gaps, life skills, parenting responsibilities, and how younger generations enter the workforce. AI also emerges as a major theme, with debate around automation, layoffs, and how AV professionals should embrace AI as a tool rather than fear it as a replacement. The episode closes with advice for job seekers: prepare, research organizations, ask thoughtful questions, and prioritize finding the right culture fit.
Topics Discussed:
- InfoComm 2026 preparation and conference planning
- Hydration and conference survival tips for Las Vegas
- AI-generated marketing and event promotion examples
- HETMA Education Summit and certification preparation
- Project management organization strategies
- Hiring challenges in higher education AV and IT
- Candidate interview preparation and culture fit
- Workforce readiness and life skills development
- Generational differences entering the workforce
- AI’s impact on jobs and business decisions
- Human skills versus technical skills in hiring
- Job application processes and applicant experience
The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.
