Author Archives: Ben
On Blog Taglines and Boldness
Be bold. Change the world. Flickr-hamedmasoumi
If you’ve been redirected here from a participant in the UpstartHR Guest Post Blitz, then I appreciate you stopping by! I hope you enjoy what you see. Want to stay on top of things? Click here to get free updates!
UpstartHR is relatively young in terms of a blog. It seems like only yesterday that I created the first post. Today, I decided on my blog tagline. It was tough to settle on one, but the term “Be BOLD†is appropriate in so many ways. I bet most people have never even thought about how important the blog tagline really is, but it\’s one of the first things people see when they arrive, and it needs to say something to them. It needs to draw them in as much as the other aspects of the blog. Here\’s the thought process for how I arrived at my own blog tagline choice.
The new generation of HR is already versed in the need to think strategically. We\’ve been told that from day one, and we know already that it\’s the only way we\’ll ever make a difference in our organizations. But that isn\’t going to happen if we\’re too frightened of failure or rejection to ever even try. We have to be bold. We have to take a stand. HR isn\’t the party-planner. It\’s just one of the strategic functions of the overall organization. Boldness has to be involved in the process, or HR will be swept under the rug like it has so many times before.
Maybe it also has something to do with my own selfishness. When I decided on the “upstart†moniker, I wasn\’t 100% sure what I meant, but it felt right to me. Now I think I\’m getting the idea. Trying things. Taking chances. Making things happen. These are all aspects of a great organization. Even if some of the projects/idea fall through, the others should be good enough to carry the day. Courage, ingenuity, and innovation are three of the most powerful tools that an organization has at its disposal at any given time.
Someone somewhere has a great idea that they want and need to share, but either that person lacks the courage to speak up or the management discourages that type of behavior. Whatever the reason, they are shooting themselves in the foot by muzzling their greatest assets.
Take a chance. Be bold. It might change the world around you.
Guest Post Blitz
Want to know where my energy comes from? I'm really a bunch of clones. Â Â Flickr-umsizzle
I know what you’re thinking. I don’t write nearly enough. Well, I’m going to settle that soon enough. The first UpstartHR Guest Post Blitz is going to be occurring on Monday, June 22. Five HR bloggers have graciously allowed me to grace their front page, and I appreciate them very much for giving me the opportunity. You can find me on Monday (hopefully!) at the following blogs…
Go. Read. Rejoice. (You know you want to!)
Also, just as a teaser, I’m working behind the scenes with a handful of HR bloggers on various projects that are going to be huge. Yeah, I’m a big thinker, but I’m also a big doer. Me-Making waves since 1985.
Top 10 Reasons I\’m NOT Attending SHRM 2009
This morning, Tara Berger (@TaraAtBeyond) posted her Top 10 Reasons to Attend SHRM09 on Twitter. In was in that spirit that this post was born…
I’ve been crying myself to sleep every night for the past few weeks, because SHRM09 is coming, and it’s coming on fast. I’m not the only one not able to attend the party, but I am the only one who will be posting a list of excuses for not attending.
- The judge said I can\’t cross state lines.
- My boss won\’t let me.
- I haven\’t paid that much money for a car, much less a trip.
- They didn’t invite me to speak. Like I’m not up to Jack Welch-level or something. Whatever.
- Networking? Pfft. Who needs it?
- I am quite confident that I know everything already.
- Going to NOLA and having time off work? Where\’s the fun in that?
- I\’m terrified of the scary people who will be there.
- It\’s SO much more fun to Twitter than actually DO anything.
- I have more time to look forward to SHRM 2010. (Woohoo! Anticipation, baby!)
In all seriousness, I hope everyone stays safe, learns a lot, drops great tweets (with the #SHRM09 hashtag), and remembers all of us “left behind†on the battlefield. Have fun!
HR Equations and Formulas
Formula for figuring out how many HR pros it takes to screw in a lightbulb. Flickr-halfbyte
HR is governed by laws and regulations much of the time. However, we also have some nifty formulas that help us do our jobs on a daily basis. Below you will find some interesting resources that should help you with any questions you have. Make sure you subscribe for free updates so that you never miss a hot news item or funny article.
HR Metrics
While human resources has traditionally been more of a “soft” profession, in recent years we’ve begun to learn how to measure our impact on an organization through various formulas. We can study factors like cost per hire, time to fill, employee satisfaction, etc., but those really are just scratching the surface and not digging into the available data. Learn how to make your HR metrics rock.
We should be looking for more useful, practical types of knowledge like HR to staff ratio (i.e. how many HR professionals do you need per employee?), employee turnover cost calculator (i.e. how much does it cost every time an employee decides to leave your organization?), and other hiring, turnover, and absence calculators.
Another great resource is this list of 20 common metrics.
A nicely done formula or equation is pleasant to look at. The ability to take rows and rows of endless numbers and force them into a format that is easy on the eyes is to be respected. Heck, even a chart can be interesting if you pick the right one (like this). :-)
Now for the not so serious part of this post…
Know Your Limits
I have spent a good bit of time in the past week or two developing derivatives of calculus formulae that express HR concepts (geek alert). My favorite so far involves limits. The limit formula has boundless possibilities for application, and coming up with new concepts is a tricky, yet interesting, way to spend some time brainstorming.
It’s been quite a few years since I had a calculus class, so anyone that can say this better can feel free to chime in. Limits basically say that as value x approaches a predetermined point, two dissimilar items become equal. The example my calculus teacher always used was “As the engineer’s grade approaches zero, an engineering degree becomes a business degree.” In simpler terms, the lower the engineer’s grade, the more likely he/she is to become a business major (obviously he was an engineering fan :-)). Another easy one would be “As your wallet approaches full, dinner becomes a steak.”
HR Applications
Yeah, I haven’t really figured out a real world application for this yet, but I do think it sounds promising and it could be a fun brain-stretcher to think up a few ideas for it.
Do you have a favorite formula or something else you’d like to know? Tell me in the comments below!
Follow Up: What Are We Learning?
Are we learning something new or something old? Photo via enygmatic
In case you missed the original post where I rambled and ranted about how unprepared students are for the world after college, feel free to read it, because this post builds on that topic.
I received several fantastic comments since the original post, and I would love to bring attention to them here, because they build on what I had to say and bring some different points of view to the discussion.
Karen had some experience in school, but it wasn’t current enough to make much of a difference. (Karen, I don’t know if that is better or worse than having none at all!)
We had one HRIS class as an elective. I recognized that it would be necessary, but for some reason it was a hard sell to the students.
The professor was current in the industry, but the information, text and actual lab technology was very dated and superficial. We were told it was due to cost. We were given a “how-to†in choosing a system (RFP) rather than any in depth on the technology itself.
While I was in school full time, I also had 2 full time internships and an outside part time position. Because of the nature of my positions, I didn\’t have much exposure to the technology used in larger companies and still find it a challenge.
A Catch-22…I need the training to get the job, but need the job to get the training.
Chris had a similar experience. He also said that he is an adjunct professor and uses a hands-on project for the entire semester’s grade. (Congrats to you for that, Chris! You’re doing your best to prepare the next group for what work is really like!)
I cannot agree with you more on this subject! I came out of school back in ‘04 with a Bachelor\’s in Management & Admin w/ an HR Concentration and I can definitely tell you that most of what is taught today does not prepare you for the “real world†of HR.
Of course, I had one professor that was fantastic and kept up with the latest research and how HR really worked in today\’s environment, but the other professors were just clueless. Many of which have never even worked in HR – they just achieved degree after degree and then preceed to tell me how HR works. Or you have the few that worked in HR when it was Personnel and we can both say that HR today has left Personnel at the station.
I currently teach Performance Improvement as an adjunct and I don\’t have a single test in my course, but rather a course project that the student has to apply the Performance Improvement model to a real life client. How much more can you appreciate learning – you are applying what you are learning and can put this on a resume!!! I only wish more professors has done the same when I was in college.
The technology side will always be hard to teach because it is hard to get HRIS companies to provide software to universities (PeopleSoft, AS/400, etc.) because the software costs quite a bit and it requires a great investment on the universities part with a server that could run the software. However, this one I am still trying to figure out because I am trying to put together an HRIS course to teach without just teaching from a book – what do you learn from that? Technology is very hands on….especially if are going back to using AS/400 which is the “green screen†days and “F†keys.
And last, but not least, April said that her experiences outside of college prepared her for the HR field much more than just the college experience. She also detailed some specific things that students need but aren’t getting. (April, I agree with you wholeheartedly on those. I’ve learned more since leaving college than I ever thought possible!)
There\’s so much more to HR than the regulations and models. Had I joined the HR workforce right out of college, I would have been lost. College was great, I maintained a 4.0 gpa but most of that was because I was living it as I learned it and could provide depth to what we were learning. Students need HRIS trianing, experience handling employee relations issues (beyond the legal perils) and in some cases hard core business writing skills.
If anyone else would like to join the discussion, I would love to hear what you have to say. This thing is a huge issue, and I’m obviously not the only one to see the disconnect between what’s being taught in the classroom and what we need to succeed in the workplace.
There\’s so much more to HR than the regulations and models. Had I joined the HR workforce right out of college, I would have been lost. College was great, I maintained a 4.0 gpa but most of that was because I was living it as I learned it and could provide depth to what we were learning. Students need HRIS trianing, experience handling employee relations issues (beyond the legal perils) and in some cases hard core business writing skills.
3 Ways Entry Level HR Professionals Can Be More Relevant
Stand out from the crowd! via differentperspective
After a long and arduous job search, I finally landed my first entry level HR position a while back. And even after earning a degree in HRM and successfully completing the PHR exam, I was still unprepared for what lay ahead. However, I have since realized that my high level of preparation beforehand was extremely helpful in getting me up to speed in my new position. With that in mind, I have determined that there are at least three good ways entry level HR professionals can be more relevant in their new jobs. Success in HR doesn’t have to be limited to the long-time veterans. It is possible to overcome some barriers to entry by developing a reputation for being technologically savvy, networking with other HR professionals online, and having enthusiasm for the HR experience.
3 Tips for Entry Level HR Pros
Technology-The Great Equalizer
When I entered the workforce years ago, I realized that I had an edge on many of my coworkers, because I have always been interested in technology. Tinkering with computers and testing software/hardware led me to have a greater understanding and appreciation for technology, and it also helped me to stand out in the workplace. In my new position, I have already learned how to use the main HRIS software (Sage Abra, for those interested) better than all of my coworkers, and I regularly get questions on how to do certain tasks and functions, even though others have used the software for longer than I have.
My advice for entry level HR professionals is to use technology to your advantage. If you’re unsure of what software you need to be focusing on, or if you don’t have any experience with an HRIS, then focus on the common office software applications like Microsoft Office. Be the go-to guy (or gal) when it comes to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc. Learn more about HR technology. It’s the future and all that jazz.
Networking-Learn From the Best
I have met dozens of HR professionals online. The ones I’ve met online are all superstars (okay, not all). I’ve been wondering for a few weeks about how I can propose a new program in the workplace. Instead of re-inventing the wheel, I asked some advice from my HR contacts. Within an hour, I had great explanations and helpful tips from a handful of extremely helpful and knowledgeable HR professionals. In the “old days,” that information would have been learned only through trial-and-error or some other equally difficult process, but I was able to avoid some of the mistakes of others (don’t worry, I’m certain there are plenty of mistakes left for me!).
My advice for entry level HR professionals is to get online and get involved with the HR community. One fantastic lady I met online has been so helpful to me for the past few months. I told her one day that I would love to repay her, and she replied, “You already have! I’ve learned more about the upcoming workforce and how they interact just from being with you, and I would not have learned that if we hadn’t connected.” It’s a give-and-take relationship, and you never know how your interactions will help someone else in the long run. Invest time in your networking efforts, and it will come back to you multiplied!
Enthusiasm-Let’s Do it!
I’m the new HR guy. I freely admit that a good bit of what goes on is still over my head, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care. Every single day/hour contains numerous learning opportunities for me. I get into the details of things, because I want to not only know how things work, but why they work as well. When someone mentions an idea, I immediately jump into the conversation. I have a desire to help our employees grow professionally and personally, and since I am new to the HR world, I don’t see the barriers others do. While it causes me to look silly sometimes when there’s a good explanation, it also provides opportunities when there isn’t one. For instance, if something is done in the workplace simply because “it’s always been that way,” then I have the potential to change something for the better. (I’m currently working on a situation like that, and I hope to share about it soon.)
My advice to entry level HR professionals is to take the initiative. If someone gives you a stack of papers to file, do it quickly, and then see what else there is to do. While a good part of my time is spent performing administrative tasks that would cause my eyeballs to explode if I did them all day every day, I get them done quickly and move on to more interesting and engaging tasks like creating methods for gathering turnover metrics, performing employee engagement surveys, and developing new ways to compensate employees for a job well done. Be enthusiastic, and others will notice. Be lackadaisical, and they will notice. It’s up to you to make a good impression.
This is my own personal experience, and I would welcome any additional comments. Would you prefer to work with someone who exhibits these three characteristics?
I have developed a video course to help entry level HR pros find and get their first job and then knock it out of the park. If you are an entry level HR pro or someone looking to get their first HR job, I highly encourage you to check it out!
The course is made up of over an hour of video content, several bonus eBooks, and weekly articles and assignments to help the training “stick” for the long term. These skills will carry you through your entire career; you just need to take the time to learn them!