Author Archives: Ben

strongerHR ebook

Supporting Our HR Friends #LookingforWork (#strongerHR: Volume One)

As I posted a few weeks ago, we have been working on some resources to help those of you in the community that are looking for work right now. I’ve been talking to many of you in one on one conversations and while I am really hurting for each of you, I am also thankful to have so many passionate, committed professionals in our space. To Paula, Jermaine, Nina, Joseph, and so many more, we see you, and we want to support you.

Earlier this summer you all know that I was thrilled to host HR Summer School. We have quietly had the replay of that available for sale for the last few weeks to help us start funding some resources to help those who are out of work and trying to reconnect with employers. We appreciate those speakers who gave their time in June–their efforts are still helping to support the community and I am getting messages daily from people who are appreciative of the education and inspiration that HR Summer School offered.

Announcing #strongerHR

I don’t believe in coincidences, but I happened to run across Molly Shelton in the midst of this mission to serve the unemployed community in our space and she was already working to help those looking for work. We partnered up on the #strongerHR eBook, and I’m so excited to announce Volume One is now available.

Shout out to Molly Shelton for helping to pull this together and Jacki Gil for her amazing design work on this!

strongerHR ebook

This eBook is meant to serve a few purposes.

  • First, it helps us highlight the strength, diversity, and value that exist in the HR community right now.
  • Second, it gives each of the participants a resource, an asset, that they can leverage when they are talking with employers that may help them stand out.
  • Third, it gives each participant a chance to really focus and hone their message and perspective around a topic that matters to HR leaders today. This can help them to be more polished in the interview process.

To each of you that read it, there’s a benefit too! It gives you a set of unique perspectives on the work we’re doing in the HR space and may encourage you to think differently, consider a new idea, or push a boundary that you didn’t realize was there. I was really thrilled to read the ideas put together by this list of HR leaders.

As far as what’s next, we’re working on other eBooks and have enough submissions for several more already. We are doing this as a volunteer effort so we are hoping to get Volume Two out in the next month or so.

Stay tuned. Share this with your friends. And let’s keep helping those that are trying to get back into an active employment role. We’re all better for it.

Antiracism Forum for Business Leaders: You’re Invited

Did you know that research shows diversity training doesn’t create better environments for people of color in the workplace? (HBR) That’s partly due to the fact that these programs spend time telling people how to avoid legal trouble, not how to actively understand, support and encourage these individuals that bring value, insight, and perspective to the business.

What if we could change that?

Later this month I have the distinct honor to participate in an event that’s trying to help make strides in this direction. George Rogers and I will be co-moderating the Antiracism Forum put on by PeopleStrategy in conjunction with the National Association for African Americans in HR. I am honored to have a front row seat to the conversations with an amazing array of experts to learn and grow alongside the audience.

Do I expect to be comfortable? No.

Do I think it’s going to have an impact and help change the world for the better? Yes. Yes I do.

Side note: if you don’t have the pleasure of already knowing George Rogers who will be moderating the event with me, he’s an amazing leader and professional. I am thrilled to be able to share the virtual stage with him.

If this sounds interesting, click here to register for free. You can also read on below for what to expect from this special event.

antiracism forum

Just like we know that there’s value in having diverse individuals in a group to add perspective and insight, we know that making a change has to be a group effort.

Each day of the event, George and I will be facilitating panel discussions around key issues that we need to get right from an employment perspective: culture, hiring, development, and more. It’s our goal to push past the comfortable boundaries of diversity to the uncomfortable conversations of racism and equality. It’s not enough to claim support. It’s time to act.

We have a series of world-class speakers, teachers, and practitioners ready to contribute their expertise. Some of the confirmed panelists include:

  • Chaveso Cook, US Army Major, mentoring expert, and doctoral student at Tufts University
  • Sarah Morgan, HR professional, inclusion advocate, and founder of the upcoming HROI Summit
  • Jon Walton, expert in multicultural leadership development and veteran change transformation leader
  • Lakisha Brooks, Chief People Officer, training and coaching expert
  • Stephen Paskoff, Esq., an expert on workplace legal issues and culture/leadership change

Click here to register for free.

One last thing: please feel free to invite your team. Bring your managers. Make it a requirement for your executive leadership. Invite your peers.

So many of you are likely putting together diversity training, and as I mentioned to start this article, that is unlikely to lead to any substantive change. That’s not an indictment on you–that’s a function of how we learn as humans. You could use this forum as the curriculum for your own development program around racial justice. For instance, have your team join for the discussions with you, then debrief together afterward to see how the concepts tie in with your culture, your people, and their unique needs.

This is an active conversation, not a passive one.  Together we can work to change the conversation.

ways to learn human resources

Do I need an HR degree to apply for an HR job? [Reader Question]

I get a lot of questions from readers about HR careers, job searching, HR certification, and more. If you have a question you’d like to see answered here, please send it over! See other questions I’ve answered here.

Is an HR degree required to apply for a job in HR, or are graduates with other degrees also considered for these roles? -Dominique

Hi Dominique!

Six months ago, I would have said no. Right now, I’m going to still say “no” but with a caveat. This changed everything in the job market: Continue reading →

We’re Only Human 87: This Company Screens Thousands of Candidates to Improve Inclusive Hiring Outcomes

“That hiring maanger still has a view of the candidate’s abilities and skills without being exposed to their race, gender, or ethnicity.”
Scot Sessions, Talvista

Did you know that there are nearly 200 cognitive biases that affect our decisions every day? While a decision about where to eat or what to wear is unlikely to have negative consequences, making a biased choice in hiring can lead to negative outcomes for people of color, women, and other minorities.

In this conversation, Ben speaks with Scot Sessions and Elaine Orler from the Talvista team to understand how technology can help minimize hiring biases and lead to better, more equitable outcomes. They discuss resume blinding and how it works and other practical advice for employers looking to hire more inclusively.

Connect with the Talvista team: talvista.com

On Twitter: @scotsessions @elaineorler

Are you #lookingforwork in HR? Let us help!

Today I had a great call with Molly Shelton. She’s an HR pro that is passionately trying to help those that are looking for HR work, and we are going to put together a resource that you can leverage to help yourself stand out in the hiring process AND show off your passion for HR.

Here’s what you need to do:

  • If you are employed, you likely know someone who is out of work in the HR space. PLEASE share this post with them so they can participate if they want.
  • If you are looking for work and you want to participate, details are below.
  • If you are looking for work and do not want to participate, please share this with someone else you know that may be looking!

How to Participate

This is going to be a multi-author eBook that highlights the ideas and perspectives of the amazing, talented HR pros that are currently looking for work. You are great. I know you’re great. Let’s show the rest of the world that you’re great, shall we?

The ask is fairly straightforward: write 250-300 words on a topic of your choice as it relates to HR, talent, learning, engagement, or whatever topic you think you have a perspective on. That’s it. We will collect 10 of these and publish an eBook featuring you in the content. We will include your LinkedIn profile, LinkedIn profile photo/headshot, and your name alongside your entry.

If you want to participate, fill in your information here.

This is first come, first served. We are limiting the first eBook to 10 authors. There is no cost to participate–we are covering all the design and promotion costs. The deadline for entry is Friday July 24th OR when we receive the first 10 qualified submissions from active HR job seekers. We expect to have the eBook published by end of July so participants can start using it immediately in their job search efforts.

The funds for this effort are being generated by sales of the HR Summer School replay on HumanResourceAcademy.org

If you want some free resources and education in the meantime, please check out our Freebies page for things like HR Job Titles, the Ultimate Guide to Breaking into HR, and more. 

We’re Only Human 86: Working on the HR Tasks that Matter with Amit Parmar

“What really excites someone to join a company? Why do they stay at the company? Every person you talk to has a different story.” Amit Pamar, HR executive at Unisys

This conversation happened at IAMPHENOM, one of the last live events prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. 

In today’s episode, Ben interviews Amit Parmar, an HR executive at Unisys, a technology firm with 20,000+ employees. Ben and Amit talk about talent, AI, analytics, digital transformation, and more. The discussion digs into why it doesn’t matter if chatbots are AI or not, how personalization creates better experiences for the workforce, and how we can automate the “grunt work” of HR and focus on the strategic work we need to be doing.

To connect with Amit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parmar79/

WOH 85: Stop Apologizing for Being in HR

“We need to own what we do. We’ve been apologizing and apologetic for being in HR instead of owning what we do. Every other profession says, I’m a salesperson, I’m a finance person. I’m a marketer. We go, I’m sorry. I’m in HR.” Steve Browne

In this conversation, a replay from the most popular session at HR Summer School 2020, Ben talks with Steve Browne, the most connected person in HR, about how to be an intentional connector, how to add value to relationships, and why HR is an essentially human profession.

If you enjoy the talk with Steve, his new book HR Rising is now available!