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Feels like the second time…speaking at DisruptHR that is

Imagine a world where different generations truly understand one another. A world where rainbow unicorns run rampant, and maybe if you imagine hard enough a world where MTV still plays music. For five brief minutes at DisruptHR that was the world I encouraged the crowd to believe.

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Five More Creative Ways to “Tell Me About Yourself”

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

“Well, I was born in Wyoming but moved around a lot when I was growing up. Now I love to go on hikes with my kids and my favorite meal to cook is lasagna.”

Boring. Wrong.

The simple question, “tell me about yourself” can panic interviewees. It causes candidates to fumble their words and babble about anything they can think of. It’s such an important question, that one of our most popular blogs is on the topic. So we decided to give you five more creative ways to “tell me about yourself.”

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From the Classroom to the Office

College is chock full of assignments with defined deadlines from an elaborate and precise syllabus. In the professional word, it’s not that simple. This summer I began to learn the ropes of the workforce after being in the classroom for 14 years. 

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Becoming an Effective CHRO includes Payroll Expertise… or at least an Understanding

Often the intersection between HR and payroll lies in the fact that they’re housed within the same department, led by a CHRO or HR director. It is obvious why they are together – they are “cost centers” tasked with employee needs. Makes sense, but running payroll requires a significantly different set of skills than HR leaders typically have.

Obviously HR holds a valuable role in the organization’s business functions, acting as a resource and strategic business partner to the entire company.  So too does payroll – making sure everyone gets paid smoothly and that benefits are covered. Everyone assumes that payroll just works…until it doesn’t, and you’re sure to have an HR nightmare on your hands if it doesn’t.

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Four Questions You’ll Regret Not Asking a Hiring Manager

We’ve written about this in the past (here and here) – never leave an interview without asking questions. It makes you look disinterested and maybe even lazy.

Whether you already have your position or if you are looking for your next HR or payroll opportunity, it’s important to ask the right questions so you don’t end up miserable or worse. Asking the following questions can help ensure that this opportunity is the right one for you. They will give you a deeper understanding of the organization and the position – and if they fit what you’re looking for.

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Lessons from Steve Harvey

Last week an email from Steve Harvey to his staff was leaked.  First thing I did?  I laughed at the absurdity – this rant was very Glengarry-esque and was wither the sign that Mr. Harvey is a jerk, or that he is just burnt out.

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Employee Engagement: Just another fad or your ticket to HR victory?

There are over 2,000 employee engagement services in the market today – so if you think employee engagement is a fad you should reconsider. Pick up any human resource publication or search for hundreds of blogs to find articles on this topic. Employee engagement is here to stay. With the right planning, you can build up your organization and your career.

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The Key (Words) to Getting Your HR/Payroll Resume Seen

When you submit your HR/payroll resume online, a real person will look at it… right? I mean surely, after you take the time to answer the questions, submit a personal cover letter, etc. the organization will take at least some time to review your qualifications for their HR or payroll position… correct? Not necessarily as more and more companies are using applicant-tracking systems (ATS) to automatically sort through online applications.

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Successful HR and Payroll Interviewing Starts with Preparation

If you get called into an HR/payroll interview, there are a lot of things you cannot control, from your own experience to the biases of those interviewing you. There are things you can control, however – here are a few tips to get yourself a leg up on the next HR/payroll position you pursue.

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Getting Introspective on Your HR/Payroll Work Life

When was the last time you took a moment to take stock of your relationships?  Taking a step back and being introspective helps you repair a situation or move away from one that’s unhealthy.  You should do this in a variety of areas in your life, but specifically with your own HR/payroll career. You may find that you’re right where you need to be, need a few tweaks, or are miles away from the ideal… but take time to ask yourself some tough questions.

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