The ultimate end in being a business partner is to be a key player in driving the direction of the business. Two ultimate examples I’ve seen are HR manager being the out of office business contact for an area manager, and a VP of HR who was trusted to take a VP role in the business.
In my experience, really successful business partners (business drivers) have three common attributes:
1. Personality - Likeable, Charismatic, REAL/authentic
2. Confidently Persuasive
3. Posesses a strong grasp of how people impact business success that they can articulate in the language of business leaders
So if these are really the types of people we're looking for, do we continue to use standard techniques to hire the right people? What are some ways we can "cut the crap" out of our recruiting processes to target our hiring to successful HR business partners?
Interested to hear your thoughts. Here are some UNPLUGGED ideas on assessing business partner candidate fit (we'll leave it to you to determine which ones we've actually heard of being used, and which haven't) We'd love to hear your ideas...please add them in the comments.
-Pre-warn the candidate that the interview may last 15 minutes to an hour. Don't waste an hour if you know there's no hope...give them feedback on the spot and save yourself an email or phone call later.
-Likeability: Score on your assesment guide about how you'd feel after a 5 hour plane ride beside them.
-Persuasiveness: Have them try to persuade you of the merits of a 5-hour workday
-Business Understanding: Case study interview including some basic financials
-Likeability: "Date" the candidate - Go to a sporting event, take them bowling or have a casual lunch with them to get a sense of their authenticity and find out what they're really about
-Persuasiveness: Send them out with a salesperson for your company and see how well they can sell your product
-Persuasiveness: When they come in for an interview, send them to a business leader to deal with an actual HR issue...talk to the business leader after to see how they did.
-Persuasiveness/Authenticity: Ask them in the interview why you should offer them the job. Challenge their responses: How do you know you want the job? What makes you think you'd be successful here?
What are some other "cut the crap" ways to effectively assess a good business partner without spending hours on those who are not a good fit? Be creative...
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
To CHRP or not to CHRP
When it comes to the CHRP designation I find myself in the same conundrum as Hamlet when he pondered the question of whether to live a life of action or a life of silent acceptance (or even end it all). What I mean is, do I maintain my CHRP designation and accept that it doesn't really represent a higher level of experience and commitment to the HR profession, OR do I take action, and make a statement by letting the damned thing lapse and spending the re-certification money on coffee, chocolate and other equally important things?
My question stems from observing people new to the field, and people who have just finished a 2 year HR diploma, prepare and study for the exams that, if passed, will earn them the CHRP designation. The same designation that many of my seasoned colleagues, and myself, can only maintain if every 3 years we fill in a ridiculous form to prove that we know what we're doing in our jobs every day! Give me a break!
Maybe I'm confused about what the CHRP designation is?
I was recently asked to complete a questionnaire by the association governing the CHRP designation in Alberta, to clarify what exactly someone holding a CHRP does. Now, being a committed HR professional, I decided to act on the request and complete the survey. By the second question I could feel my blood begin to boil and my frustrations begin to rise. Somehow, I was expected to check the most appropriate box that would accurately describe what a CHRP does every day and how important that work is in their day. What the hell? How can we expect to define a CHRP (positioned in the survey, as a person, rather than a designation) in such a simple manner? Shouldn't the CHRP be about experience, integrity, breadth and depth of knowledge, and not about defining how important the tasks associated with organization development or recruitment are each day?
Needless to say, I stopped mid-way through the survey and sent an email to the association to let them know how absurd their questions were.
Speaking of questions, I guess I've answered my own...the answer is "Not to CHRP".
My question stems from observing people new to the field, and people who have just finished a 2 year HR diploma, prepare and study for the exams that, if passed, will earn them the CHRP designation. The same designation that many of my seasoned colleagues, and myself, can only maintain if every 3 years we fill in a ridiculous form to prove that we know what we're doing in our jobs every day! Give me a break!
Maybe I'm confused about what the CHRP designation is?
I was recently asked to complete a questionnaire by the association governing the CHRP designation in Alberta, to clarify what exactly someone holding a CHRP does. Now, being a committed HR professional, I decided to act on the request and complete the survey. By the second question I could feel my blood begin to boil and my frustrations begin to rise. Somehow, I was expected to check the most appropriate box that would accurately describe what a CHRP does every day and how important that work is in their day. What the hell? How can we expect to define a CHRP (positioned in the survey, as a person, rather than a designation) in such a simple manner? Shouldn't the CHRP be about experience, integrity, breadth and depth of knowledge, and not about defining how important the tasks associated with organization development or recruitment are each day?
Needless to say, I stopped mid-way through the survey and sent an email to the association to let them know how absurd their questions were.
Speaking of questions, I guess I've answered my own...the answer is "Not to CHRP".
Monday, January 18, 2010
It's not you...It's me!
Another case of "It’s not you…it’s me" If you ask me, the recruitment process is just like one big ol’ round of speed dating, with the hope and expectation that you are about to meet THE ONE. As a hiring manager, you’d like to start this ideal relationship as quickly as possible. You are bound to meet a few crazy people along the way and there are some for whom you definitely want a criminal background check. Then, you meet someone who creates that dazzling first impression and you ask yourself, “Could this be the one?” But you come down to earth and ask yourself, “Is this person a good investment? Will they meet my needs? Will they be dependable?”
So, you believe you have now found ‘The One’ as from out of nowhere the dream candidate has emerged. They are clearly a wonderful investment…the person you want to take on business trips, to meet the owners of the company, the one who will know that you like your morning coffee with 1 cream and 2 sugars. You’ve even gone so far as to doodle their name with their new title after it. You can't wait for them to meet the rest of the team. Employment bliss! But then, you’re about to sign on the dotted line and BAM!! They back away at the last minute because they have found another employer they like better. You’re left asking, what did we do wrong? We have so much to offer…how could they not see that? Meanwhile, your co-worker consoles you and tells you that they did not deserve us anyway. It’s another case of “It’s not you, it’s me.” They didn’t pick us because they felt that the other company had more to offer.
At a time when there are so many employers to choose from, candidates are taking jobs that offer them more than just a pay cheque and a place to show up to from 9-5 Monday to Friday. How do we make sure that the candidate understands the full breadth of what we offer and that they see us as a good investment for the future? How do we show that we are a super employer, or do we just hope that people will figure this out for themselves?
How do we compete with other employers for the best candidates? What are the innovative ways that a company can sell itself to dream candidates to ensure that they don't end the relationship before it's even started?
Written by: "Ashley" Speed Date Survivor!
So, you believe you have now found ‘The One’ as from out of nowhere the dream candidate has emerged. They are clearly a wonderful investment…the person you want to take on business trips, to meet the owners of the company, the one who will know that you like your morning coffee with 1 cream and 2 sugars. You’ve even gone so far as to doodle their name with their new title after it. You can't wait for them to meet the rest of the team. Employment bliss! But then, you’re about to sign on the dotted line and BAM!! They back away at the last minute because they have found another employer they like better. You’re left asking, what did we do wrong? We have so much to offer…how could they not see that? Meanwhile, your co-worker consoles you and tells you that they did not deserve us anyway. It’s another case of “It’s not you, it’s me.” They didn’t pick us because they felt that the other company had more to offer.
At a time when there are so many employers to choose from, candidates are taking jobs that offer them more than just a pay cheque and a place to show up to from 9-5 Monday to Friday. How do we make sure that the candidate understands the full breadth of what we offer and that they see us as a good investment for the future? How do we show that we are a super employer, or do we just hope that people will figure this out for themselves?
How do we compete with other employers for the best candidates? What are the innovative ways that a company can sell itself to dream candidates to ensure that they don't end the relationship before it's even started?
Written by: "Ashley" Speed Date Survivor!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
What's leftover on the dessert tray?
Can you relate to getting to the dessert tray late and being left with the apple strudel because the caramels, nanaimo bars and sticky-sweet desserts are all gone? I think we've all been there, and probably in the not too distant past given we've just come off of the holiday season.
What would your ultimate dessert tray look like? What if the "leftovers" were just as good as what was taken first?
Now translate that to careers: We all have the ultimate choice about where we work and we should invest time to make sure we have a tray filled with our favourite kinds of Chocolates and not dried-up fruitcake. Here's three aspects of organization fit for HR professionals to consider: What's your culture, Who's your team and What's your power.
What's your culture?
This is a broad question, but it covers the speed of your company the stage of your business and the personality of your brand. Is it a work-hard, play hard atmosphere, or is it more of an administrative machine?
Who's your team?
Do you like the people you work with? Are they the type of people you love to see every day and is there some unity with the way everyone approaches HR?
What's your power?
Everyone claims that people are their most important asset, but there are different things that power different businesses. This changes the look of an HR department. For example, an oil and gas production company is powered a lot by the pressure underground that drives the fuel to the surface. People come into play as they need to know how to use the technology properly. On the other side of the spectrum, service based companies who rely on customer service, must invest a lot in their people, vs. technology to get things done. HR plays a huge part in this.
The question to ask yourself is: What does the dessert tray look like that awaits you every morning at your desk, and is it a fit with your preferences. There is an organization out there that mirrors your ultimate dessert tray and is waiting for your contribution to its success. You owe it to yourself to do some investigation to find that company.
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