Category Archives: Video

Insights from my second day on the job

So, if you haven’t heard, I just started a new HR job yesterday (woohoo!). I was reading this great post on MonsterThinking today during lunch and realized how true it was. In the video below I talk about some of the drivers of employee engagement and the stark contrast between my last job and my current one. Yes, I’m still in the “ooh la la!” stage with my new job, but I can’t see my attitude towards work dropping like a rock as I did previously. Continue reading →

PHR Study Materials (cheap and free)

show me the moneyBecause of my involvement in the HR certification scene, I get asked often about PHR study materials. More often than not I recommend one of our courses along with another book or inexpensive study material, but the message below prompted a thought.

Hi! I am signed up for the PHR and looking for study materials. Since I’m in transition, my budget is super tight so I’d love to get something for less than retail prices. Thank you! Amy in Orlando

If I had to start all over again and study with the limited budget I have, what would I use to prepare?

Studying on the cheap

First of all, I’d look through the various resources for the PHR and SPHR exams I’ve gathered over the past 24 months. There are some great tools in there that are totally free and would be a good place to find some help. But you’ll only get so far with free stuff. In truth, I’d probably just use the same resources to study as I did for the PHR exam last year.

  1. Two pack of HRCI practice exams $70
  2. Anne Bogardus PHR/SPHR book ~$40
  3. Any other practice exams available

The bare essentials

I know there are a lot of people in transition right now and some of them are looking at certification as a way to help increase their marketability as a candidate. The bare essentials: Anne Bogardus book and the PHR/SPHR Self Study Course. You’ll get enough content in those two resources to successfully pass the exam.

How to get your employer to pay for it

If you are working and don’t want to pay out of pocket, here are some ideas on how to make that happen. I recently shot this video for the subscribers to the free SPHR/PHR email newsletter. It might give you some thoughts on how to reduce your cost and maybe even get your employer to pick up the tab!

Email subscribers may need to click through to view the video.

The proper care and feeding of employees

Managing employees is tough, but there are some fundamental principles that weave through the manager/employee relationship we can all benefit from remembering. Check out the short video below (transcript below that if you prefer reading) to learn more.

(Email subscribers may have to click through to view the video.)

Proper care and feeding of employees

  • People come to work for the money, and leave because of their manager (the research backs that often tossed-around phrase) .
  • All of the data comes from research done by the Corporate Leadership Council. They\’ve found that providing fair/accurate informal feedback has a 39% impact on performance. (The problem? We don\’t know how to give feedback for the most part!)
  • Never really thought of it this way, but the manager acts as a conduit whose primary role is to connect employee with company. They can directly shape the employee\’s perception of the organization, their team, and their job. (I\’ve really noticed this a lot when I didn\’t get the right tools and attention from my manager.)

Anything else you’d like to share that goes along with managing better?

What’s so scary about HR? (Video)

What’s the scariest thing about human resources? Well, if you want to get the details on that, then you need to hit up the Halogen software site. They\’ve collected horror stories from HR pros and the videos are available for your viewing pleasure. My video (about a voodoo curse!) is found below, and if you click through you\’ll see great stuff from people like Lance Haun, Kris Dunn, Trish McFarlane, and more.

(Email subscribers may have to click through to view the video)

Let’s hear yours!

Have your own horror story? I know you do! Let\’s hear ‘em, people. Drop a comment below.

Project: Social

So… Project:Social. What is it? Well, here’s where I explained how the whole social media mentoring idea began. I told everyone to stay tuned for a way to sign up and indicate interest. After you watch the video below (subscribers may need to click through), you’ll see the link to join up. Warning: the video and audio tracks messed up and aren’t synced. Therefore this looks like an old Japanese movie. My lips will be saying something but you’ll hear something else. Just listen well and you’ll get the good stuff. :-)

Here’s the catch: we’re in a “beta” phase for a short time. While anyone can submit their interest, we are going to try to match 3-5 couples and measure the results after a week or two. Then we plan to move forward with the rest of the candidates. Why? Well, we want to work out any kinks so that everyone has the best possible experience, and we’d like to be able to provide a little guidance if necessary until these relationships can get on their feet. Don’t let that stop you from applying, though!

Click here to sign up as a mentor or mentee.

Throughout the whole process Victorio and I have been telling people to share this thing. That’s where the real magic comes in. If you want to tweet about it, here’s the Twitter hashtag: #ProjectSocial (by the end of your mentorship, you’ll know what a hashtag is if you don’t already!). :-) Feel free to email your friends and coworkers. I’d rather have to scramble for mentors than have too many of them sitting around with nothing to do. :-)

And, as always, this is a work in progress. Feel free to share ideas or comments that you think might help us continue moving forward. Don’t forget to sign up if you’d like to help or be helped!

Should I get an MBA or an SPHR (or PHR)?

One of the big questions I see people asking these days is about graduate studies. People want to know if it’s worth it to get an MBA and if it will help them in their field. I’ve talked before about advanced HR degrees (and the follies of chasing one before you have experience in the field), but the twist is adding certification into the mix. Is it worth it to get your MBA, or would it be acceptable to get your SPHR certification? I know I’m a big proponent of getting certified, but then again it might be better to run the college gauntlet again for the benefits it can provide…

Want a $20 discount on PHR/SPHR study materials? Get it here.

Is there a right answer?

I talk about how both of them could be viable options in the video below. Check it out and let me know your thoughts.

(Subscribers may have to click through to view the embedded video.)

Are you looking for an edge in your HR career? Is either of these options (certification or college) a good choice for you?