bad advice

What do you do if Human Resources gives you bad advice?  

A few weeks ago, I was talking to a friend about general stuff.  She doesn't work in HR and was telling me about a problem she was having at work.  Sometimes, more often then not, it becomes a question to me.  What would I do? 

She tells me the problem. I always like to turn the question back, asking, "what do you think?"  Most people have a good idea of what needs to happen.  She was no exception but ... she says, I think [this] but HR told me to do this.

Eeeh. They said what?  

Now, I don't know first hand the culture, and I am only hearing her perspective of the issue but I trust her. So my questioning goes here:

- Is the HR person new?
- Is the HR person leaving? :) 
- What's your relationship with the HR person? 
- Have you worked with him/her before?
- His/her general reputation?  Does he/she normally give good advice?  Helpful?
- Is the HR role - consulting or decision making?

After talking through the issue a bit more, I suggested that she go back to the HR person and discuss it a bit more.  With time for reflection and a little more conviction for what she wanted to do, she presented a couple of additional ideas and was able to change the course of action for the better.

Whew.  

What do you do with bad advice? 

good words

The last month has been a whirlwind of work and home and dog stuff and while I have had all kinds of time to write in my head, nothing made it to print.

This should remedy the problem.

How do you provide good references?

I have a pretty good system that I like to recommend to people when answering the reference question. Most hiring employers ask for references - several business and some personal though I am not quite sure what good a personal reference is - unless the question predates background checks.

Interviewers might ask for references that include supervisors and colleagues.  I suggest answering the question but with a slight differentiation.  I suggest to people who are job seeking to be able to provide references for the following categories:

- how you lead
- how you collaborate
- how you influence

In the end, it’s about how you get it done, whatever IT is.  There will be times in your job when you just get to make the decision.  Maybe not as many as you like, and that's where collaboration is important.  And there will be times when you have no input and yet still have to get things done - with people who may have no interest in your needs - and that's where influence comes in handy.

These should be enough.  These are the questions I want answered in references and these are going to be questions your references should be able to answer about you.

Should you be looking now, make sure that your references know when they might be contacted.  When I have served as a reference, I always make sure to have an understanding of the job responsibilities, as well as key points she/he would like me to highlight.

Good references can make a world of difference.  I've seen it first hand.  Good words matter.

keep me in mind

I can't imagine there is an HR person who hasn't heard the request from candidates to please, keep me in mind for other opportunities. 

Some have gone through the application and interview process; others have sent me a resume and there isn't anything available. 

In the moment, it's really too much time to go into when I can and can't so here are a few of my thoughts on the topic.




When I can keep you in mind:

- when I have interviewed you for a position.  I can keep in mind if I have met you, evaluated your experience, think that you have the qualifications to do the work and have a position open. 

- when not a lot of time has passed.  I have limited memory in my brain and it's not possible to remember everyone who I have interviewed.   If it is recent, within the last few months, chances are better that I will remember you. 

When I can't keep you in mind:

- when I haven't met you or interviewed you. 

- when it's been a few years since we have connected.  I meet with dozens of people each month, and while I would love to remember everyone, I can't.  Sometimes, like now, my brain is full.  

- when you just send me a resume that seems lacking in direction. If I have to ask questions about why the resume and what you are looking for, that's extra work on my part.  Not going to happen. 

- when it feels like you want me to do the work for you. 

Remember, asking me to keep you in mind is NOT a replacement for your job search. You, the applicant, are responsible for staying on top of job postings, subscribing to listservs and Twitter accounts, checking the website for jobs.  I do not and cannot represent you the applicant;  my responsibilities are to my employer - helping find the best person for the position. 
 

call it what it is

It's rape.

Last May, I had a chance to talk to our friends at DriveThruHR about Title IX.  Sexual assault.  The kind of assault and harassment women face going to school.

Appalling numbers. Statistics from the CDC indicate that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men reported being raped at some time in their lives. From the DOE, 1 in 5 women will experience attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college.

There are all kinds of statistics, information, and help on FBI, Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the  National Criminal Justice Reference Service.

As I watched the verdict being read via Twitter because, well, NONE of the television stations broke to the live event, I followed the #Steubenville.

I watched the rolling stream of comments waiting on the verdict.  And then I saw these:

#steubenville ohio rape case to be read at 10 am today. I dont think they are guilty. shit happens when bitches drink

women are such whores #Steubenville

I was saddened.  We spend enormous amounts of time and effort teaching women how to avoid rape.  How to fight back.  What to do and who to call if you are raped. 

And yet, no one seems to want to teach men NOT to rape. Not to think stupor implies consent. That women somehow ask for it. 

When I see tweets like the two above, all I can think is that we have a very, very long way to go.  

spending time

Last week and again today I spent time with students.  I talked about managing online resources, what to put on paper, and how to interview.

I always learn something.  Today I learned several things. To employers who don't know how to interview, here is a brief summary. 

Candidates are complaining that companies still don't know how to conduct interviews.  (Shocker).  I heard from students that interviewers are still asking ridiculously stupid questions like what kind of animal would you want to be or how many trees are there in Canada.

Oh stop already.  I get that some want to observe how candidates think on their feet but can you do nothing better than trees?  In Canada?  If that's all you can do, your applicants should get up and walk out.

Some people still conduct group interviews.  Like group meaning applicants in a group.  I don't know about you but if I walked into a group interview, I would turn around and walk out.  If that's all you're willing to invest in candidates, it's not enough.

STOP TALKING.  Ask questions and let the candidates TALK.  I had a number of questions from students asking how to get the interview BACK ON TRACK.  Stop it again.  This isn't about you - it's about the candidate in the room.

If you don't know how to conduct good interviews, go buy a book on interviewing or hire me to do it for you.  Either is preferable to what I hear is happening.  Now.  In 2103.  

Good grief, let's up our game.