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I have a guest post regarding a reader's question about layoffs up at Business Pundit.  Go there now.  Or not.  No big whoop.

Let's take a walk through the latest edition of Ask HR Wench, shall we?Here’s the scoop … a recently hired employee has a disability that requires him to take pain medication. He did disclose this information during the interview process (we didn’t ask, he offered), however he made it sound like an “every now and then” situation. After working for us for a couple of months, we have found that this was not a full disclosure by a long shot. (Shame on us for not asking more questions!) This employee suffers from a rare disease and is in constant pain. As a result, his medication list…

How did it get to be almost the middle of November?  Working makes life a blur.  I don't recommend it. I'm used to being paid semi-montly or bi-weekly.  As a temp, I'm paid weekly.  It seems like this would be great, but it's NOT.  It takes a whole new set of money management skills, a set I don't have. In even better news, unemployment is the highest it's been in like a bazillion years.  Not only have I been looking for a real job since March, now I get to compete with even more schmoes.  Dang you, schmoes!  Dang you woman with 25 years benefits…

Listen: I realize you are most likely homeless and significantly mentally ill.  I get that and I am sorry for your troubles.  But please, PLEASE, for the love of The Baby Jesus, stop crossing against the light on Wiedler Street - especially on weekday mornings at about 7:45-ish.  I don't want to accidentally run over you.  That wouldn't do either of us any good. I'm sorry I got frustrated and honked at you this morning.  I know I startled and possibly scared the crap out of you as you made your way, barefoot, across the three lane road (against the light).  I…

Hat tip to Mark Stelzner of Inflexion Point!

At the Kennedy Recruiting Conference I attended some interesting presentations and - of even more value - had the chance to speak with a number of recruiters, both internal and external. One theme that cropped up over and over is...

These days I'm searching for news and stories on the Web that inspire hope, optimism, or at the very least, healthy coping.In tough times, many of us are tempted to withdraw, turn inward, and freeze. I have yet to meet...

Listening to NPR's On Point this morning about unemployment survival, one of the callers, Anonymous, happened to be a woman who's nine-months pregnant and as of this morning, lost her job. The panel of experts offered her some suggestions. If...

A question posted on the MarketingProfs.com forum that I regularly contribute to asked about what to do with what sounded like a narcisistic boss. Here were my thoughts; Unfortunately situations like this are not as uncommon as you might think....

Earlier today, I received a phone message from a caller who offered this: A recruiter just said these words to me: If you're so good, how come your resume is so bad? Apparently, the recruiter had gone on to say...

Some things get lost in the mix, they don’t usually fit here or I can’t do a full post on it. This is where they go. So without further ado: Accolades, etc… - YourHRGuy.com was featured on BSchool.com’s 50 Top HR Blogs. Take that Fistful of Talent’s Honorable Mention! I was also featured not once but twice on Brazen Careerist’s Top 100 articles. Gen Y Bloggers Unite - Speaking of Brazen Careerist, they just launched a new version of the site that allows you to see neat-o profiles of your favorite bloggers (and me) and apparently some other stuff too. Check…

Note from Lance: I asked my former employer to do a guest post about some of the cool things they are doing with some of the interesting challenges they face. Today’s author is Kristen Leal who manages QualitySmith’s PR and Talent Strategy. Thanks! I was filling up my water bottle one day at work when I saw a business card pinned up on the bulletin board above me. It was for a photographer, who happened to work for my company, and did some professional photography on the side. So I headed back to my desk and decided to look up her name in our company email list. I emailed her and…

I really try to avoid layoff talk in my blog. To me, it is unneeded news and perspective on something other news outlets will be covering much better than I do. I hate layoffs. I hate being a part of them. I don’t like breaking the news to people. I don’t know a single person that enjoys it either. I think they should be avoided at all costs. I could go on. So when I heard that CitiGroup will be laying off 53,000 people by the end of Q1 2009, I didn’t feel like writing about it because other layoffs have occurred and more will continue to happen. It is exhausting.

I’ve probably mentioned this before but it is worth mentioning again: I really do love experiencing an organization from HR’s point of view. In many cases, I am one of the first people a prospective employee meets. When they get hired, I see them through their first few days. As time goes on, I am setting up training and development for them. I see pay raises, promotions, performance reviews and corrective action. On their last day, they’ll probably see me and we’ll talk about your experience here. No, they probably don’t know me terribly well. They might not…

During last week’s US election, we saw a pretty strong message to the Republican party as a whole. Across the board, Republicans lost ground in every conceivable spot they could. They lost almost everywhere and gained almost nowhere. In short, Republicans could stand to improve next time around if they are going to find relevance again. In discussing the results of the election, there has been a lot of talk about what’s next for the Republican party, what they did wrong and how they need to change. Much of this advice has come from Democratic strategists who, while being…

Residual woes from the fall out of many companies in corporate America is expected to cause problems for other industries, including the travel industry, according to a recent study by BackTrack. With businesses cutting costs, it’s only natural that there will be less business travel — an important money maker for the travel industry. “Businesses across [...]

Forty-five percent of employers surveyed recently by Aon Consulting Worldwide and the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists have a consumer-driven health (CDH) plan. That’s an eight percent increase from the previous year. So why are the consumer-driven health plans popular? Thirty-six percent say because they want to introduce consumerism into buying health care. Thirty-five [...]

As a young teen, I would go over to a close friend’s house and see her brother with oodles of copies of PC Magazine. He was a PC-Mag addict and loved toying with building computers with his dad. PC Magazine was a long-time, trusted source. I found their hobby so intriguing, particularly because I didn’t [...]

It might be open enrollment time at companies around the country, but chances are many employees aren’t paying attention. A survey by Careerbuilder.com revealed taht 23 percent of workers don’t pay attention to new and potentially cost-saving benefits. “Open enrollment ensures that eligible employees are not missing out on significant amounts of helpful benefits and wallet [...]

Gift cards are a hot commodity for employee recognition, according to the Incentive Gift Card Council. “Make no mistake. Gift cards will continue to be an extremely popular choice — if not the top choice — for employee incentive, reward, loyalty and recognition programs,” said IGCC President Andrew Dodge. “Gift cards are ideal for corporate gift-givers [...]

Workstream Inc. Receives Marketplace Rule 4310 Notice From NASDAQ and Going Concern Opinion Comtex MAITLAND, Fla., Nov 21, 2008 ----Workstream Inc.

The Ohio Employee Confidence Index declined to its lowest level in October, decreasing 2.3 points to 36.5, according to the latest Spherion Employment Report.

ZipRealty, Inc. today announced that Lanny Baker has agreed to join the Company and will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer of the Company, effective December 1, 2008.

Wall Street's pain is rippling through US small businesses, as bankers who once pulled in million-dollar bonuses lose their jobs and cut back spending on everything from parties to home improvements.

The MatchProduct.com marketplace functions as a - MADRID, Spain-- --Softtek, a global provider of IT and business process solutions and the largest private IT service provider in Latin America, announced today ...

The California Employee Confidence Index decreased 4.6 points to 41.5 in October, according to the latest Spherion Employment Report released Friday.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Friday stamped its approval on a final rule to strengthen its Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program (TLGP), which guarantees newly issued senior unsecured debt of banks, thrifts, and certain holding companies, and provides full coverage of non-interest bearing deposit transaction accounts.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday announced job training grants for hard-hit areas of California, including $502,170 for Santa Clara County and $900,000 for San Mateo County.

Resqdebt, an agency that specializes in debt counseling, has leased 82,223 square feet of office space within Phase I and Phase II of Cornerstone Crossing Corporate Office Park in Allen.

Momentive Performance Materials Inc., a local manufacturer, has laid off workers in Ohio.

Owings Mills, MD - November 20, 2008 -- Employment Background Investigations, Inc. (EBI), an industry innovator in global background screening, drug testing and occupational healthcare solutions, has been named to Workforce Management Magazine's "The Hot List" of employment-related screening providers for the second consecutive year. EBI's strategic investment in quality services, customer care and technological innovations has enabled the global screening firm to consistently operate at the apex of performance. Over the past year, EBI has efficiently administered and conducted millions of…

Troy, Mich. – November 19, 2008 – JobApp Network ("JobApp"), a leading hiring solution for high-volume and hourly employers, has announced unprecedented hiring results for TPI's Newton, Iowa facility. TPI is a leading wind turbine blade manufacturer. Using JobApp's phone and web-based hiring solution, TPI was able to meet aggressive hiring objectives on time.TPI's requirement was to hire the best available employees for its newly-built Newton, Iowa plant. TPI knew that in order to create quality products, they had to start with highly qualified manufacturing associates who were well…

TORONTO – (November 20th, 2008) Employees are most unhappy with their wages and concerned about the lack of development opportunities within their organizations, according to a study by The Beacon Group.Compensation & Benefits was the lowest scored item on the survey with a failing grade of 49%. Learning, Growth & Development only fared slightly better with a score at 51%.Over 31,000 employees from Canada, U.S and Mexico participated in the study between 2002 and 2007. The study was conducted by The Beacon Group, a leading HR advisement and services firm which has been tracking…

Plano, TX (November 12, 2008) – Steve Horn has joined AspireHR, Inc., the largest SAP HCM implementation partner in the U.S., to serve as the company's Director of Training and Dean of AspireHR University. Horn will be responsible for heading up AspireHR's training division which will provide onsite and remote training for the company's clients. In addition, he will hold the post of Dean of AspireHR University. In that capacity he will oversee the development of the university's curriculum and coordinate the selection of the instructors for the various courses."AspireHR is a cutting edge…

HAZLET, N.J. (November 19, 2008) - iCIMS, a leading Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider of talent management systems, today announced that it has selected Lehigh Valley, PA based hireVision Group Inc., an award-winning provider of Human Resource Services, to train and certify the iCIMS Customer Support Team in various HR topics.Tina Hamilton, President & CEO of hireVision, states, "Our certification and training program offers a very unique opportunity for the iCIMS Customer Support team to identify on a peer to peer level with the HR professionals that they service. The series is…

Trade unions in Ireland voted 9 to 1 to back the new national pay deal at special delegate conference last week but immediately became embroiled in a row over payment of the deal with employers in the construction sector.

The Irish government is to set up a new expenditure review group with a brief to cut back on public sector numbers and spending.

More needs to be done to promote the recruitment, retention and progression of ethnic minority police officers, according to a study.

Carmaker Honda is to shut its Swindon plant for 50 days as part of a dramatic cutback in vehicle production.

There have been calls for British National Party (BNP) members to be banned from further public-sector jobs following the leak of party membership details on the internet.

Klose new HR?director at Hospice of RR ValleyDL-Online, MN - 4 hours agoHospice of the Red River Valley announces the addition of Sheila Klose as director of human resources. Klose is responsible for providing strategic human

GulfMark Offshore Appoints David Darling VP, Human Resources RTT News, NY - 8 hours agoThe company appointed David Darling as vice president of human resources in which role, he will be responsible for recruitment and retention initiatives,

Workscape's CEO to Be Featured on Online Talk ShowMarketWatch - 11 hours agoKnowledge Infusion is the recognized consulting authority on human resources, talent management and emerging technology solutions that drive human capital

New York Daily NewsHuman Resources Adminsitration cop sues over sex attack at workNew York Daily News, NY - 11 hours agoBY JOHN MARZULLI A city Human Resources Administration special officer once hailed as a hero by the agency for rescuing a woman who had fallen onto subway

HR MagazineSHRM’s 250000th Member Represents HR’s FutureHR Magazine, VA - 12 hours agoBy Steve Bates The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has recorded its 250000th member, providing the occasion to look back and reminisce about

You’ve probably mentioned it to managers a hundred times: When there’s a problem with an employee, make sure we have good documentation to back up any discipline. Employment law attorney Penelope Phillips explains a few hints that will make documentation better than “good.” Phillips says the clues lie in several court cases she’s seen and how the right words have meant the difference between a win for the manager and a big cash settlement for an employee with a complaint. She says solid documentation relies on three pieces that every manager should understand.

As one of his final official acts, President Bush signs a resolution to further fund and extend E-verify. But the program’s future remains in doubt. The president penned a continuing resolution — H.R. 2638 — that provides $100 million in funding and gives E-Verify life through March 6, 2009. The program had been set to expire on November 29. What happens after March 6? President-elect Obama has indicated his support for E-Verify as part of a larger effort aimed at immigration reform. A separate bill to reauthorize E-Verify for five years passed the House on July 31 by a…

Our team of experts fields real-life everyday questions from HR managers and gives practical answers that can be applied by any HR pro in the same situation. Today’s question: What’s the better way to grade performance — on a numerical scale or the common “meets expectations” method? Question: Our performance-appraisal system is based on “doesn’t meet,”  ”meets” or “exceeds” expectations criteria. We’re thinking of switching to a 1-10 scale that supervisors can use to rate employees. Any thoughts on whether one…

Many of the changes President-elect Obama wants will make a direct hit on your company’s operations. Here’s what he’s proposed during the campaign — and what’s likely and unlikely. 1. Repeal of some Bush tax cuts. Obama favors: reinstating the pre-2001 top individual tax rates of 39.6% and 36% for families making more than $250,000 ($200,000 for singles) making permanent the 10%, 15%, 25% and 28% individual tax rates, and restoring the personal exemption phaseout and itemized deduction limitation phaseouts at an increased threshold of $250,000 for joint filers…

There’s a new kid on the Internet block, offering useful stuff on salaries and employer data, and a spot to diss your own employer (not that you’d want to). Site name: GlassDoor. URL: http://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm Who runs it: Sausalito, CA-based GlassDoor What it provides: At the time we tested the site, it advertised it was in beta, but that will probably change, since the company just announced that it just raised $6.5 million in venture capital — a mere droplet in the sea of venture-capital bucks, but still a good sign that the site is progressing. Right now, for…

Not in a Partying Mood | Human Resource Executive Online Bah humbug! Fewer companies are planning to deck the corporate halls this holiday season, while others are slashing their party budgets in half, according to two new surveys. Can companies spread good cheer without breaking the bank?

In this advertorial feature, one expert answers: "What is the most significant change you see coming to the HR profession in the next few years?"

Depression Influenced by Industry | Human Resource Executive Online Working in the arts, retail or utilities industries can be depressing for workers, although the current economic turmoil will have an impact on everyone. Employers would be wise to put some resources toward combating the problem, as the costs of doing nothing are very high.

In this advertorial feature, one expert answers: "What is the most significant change you see coming to the HR profession in the next few years?"

In this advertorial feature, one expert answers: "What is the most significant change you see coming to the HR profession in the next few years?"

As it’s open enrollment season for U.S. businesses, millions of employees from Seattle to Baton Rouge are making important decisions about health care and benefits that will affect them and their families in 2009. However, surprisingly, millions of employees still aren’t participating in these decisions. If your employees knew they were throwing money away, would they change their course? A newly released CareerBuilder.com survey reveals that nearly a quarter of workers (23 percent) do not take advantage of the new and potentially cost-saving measures being offered by their respective…

Anurag posted a Facebook note with a real story: So there is this guy who till last week was looking forward to join [well known company] as Sr VP of HR . Wooed to the extent {name of Promoter} sent people to his home to ensure there is an “emotional connect” even before the guy joins. All was fine till he got a letter last week withdrawing the offer. No one spoke to him , no compensation whatsoever and the poor fellow is looking for a job at the age of 48 in this economy. So this is the story of what is happening with one of NSE50 companies. [Well known company] shares are…

Branding Magic Johnson When I think of Magic Johnson, the following words come to mind: Lakers - He took the Lakers NBA team to many championships. Basketball - He played basketball for most of his life. HIV - While playing basketball he was diagnosed with HIV. Philanthropy - He founded the The Magic Johnson Foundation. How would you brand Magic Johnson? Magic reinvents his brand Before - basketball player After winning a championship in high school and college, he was selected 1st in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson won a championship and a Finals MVP award in his first…

When you believe in destroying the traditional model of Human Resources — much like I do — you run into major obstacles. The biggest obstacle in my life is also the biggest elephant in the room: it’s The Society for Human Resources Management. SHRM is the most influential Human Resouces association in America. It’s staffed with wonderful, genuine people want to see Human Resources continue to grow. They want HR to be a credible & important function in an organization. Many of SHRM’s employees and volunteers are my friends. It’s also a very powerful organization with lots of…

Today is the 10th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, dedicated to all those transgender folks who died as a result of anti-transgender violence. Thankfully, I have never lost a loved one to such an act of violence; but, I would never forgive myself if I had not spoken up and taken a stand on what I see as a growing battle between tolerance and hate. Background I have a sibling who was born with all the female chromosomes and body parts. Ever since she was a child (3 to 4 years old) she preferred boy haircuts and clothes. We all thought it was a phase she would grow out of, but she never…

Excerpt: "In this article, you will learn about the work of . . . two researchers and why their findings may be [important in the future]. You also will see why commodities futures, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that combine them, may hold the key to your clients' asset allocation success. Enter Erb & Harvey: The ground-breaking 2006 research study was published in the Financial Analysts Journal by Claude B. Erb, CFA and Campbell R. Harvey and titled: The Strategic and Tactical Value of Commodity Futures." (authored by Judy Diamond Associates, Inc.)

Excerpt: "We use panel data from the US Health and Retirement Study 1992-2002 to estimate the effect of self-assessed health limitations on active labor market participation of men around retirement age. Self-assessments of health and functioning typically introduce an endogeneity bias when studying the effects of health on labor market participation. This results from justification bias, reflecting an individual's tendency to provide answers which 'justify' his labor market activity, and individual-specific heterogeneity in providing subjective evaluations." (authored by Social…

27 pages. (authored by U.S. Department of Labor via American Benefits Council)

Excerpt: "A General Motors Corp. acquisition of Chrysler LLC would solidify GM's ranking as the world's largest corporate employee benefit fund, giving it total assets estimated at $170 billion. The deal also would unite companies that, despite their financial challenges, both have overfunded defined benefit plans." (authored by Pensions & Investments)

Excerpt: "Action Requested: Review the following letter to Congress [linked . . .], which urges immediate measures to mitigate the impact of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA) defined benefit pension funding rules, and include your company's name to the list of signees." (authored by American Benefits Council)

What a way to end! The Financial Services Authority's recent statement suggests that a whimper rather than a bang will mark the end of treating customers fairly as a free-standing initiative and its transfer to "supervision as usual" at the end of this year.

Expatriates are generally more engaged than nationals, yet they are still more of a retention risk, according to research conducted by the Kenexa Research Institute.

Official figures released show that the number of central and eastern European migrants from the so-called A8 accession countries registering to work in the UK is running at a three-year low.

The Financial Services Authority has welcomed the work that the Financial Services Skills Council has done on setting and raising standards, following the publication of the FSSC guidance on good practice for training and competence schemes, "T&C Standards and Good Practice Guidance".

Senior Goldman Sachs executives are waiving their right to bonuses this year, as banks come under pressure to show contrition over their role in the global financial crisis.

I just got back from the Kennedy Recruiting Conference on Wednesday where I met many fun and knowledgeable folks from the recruiting blogger sphere and peeps I follow on Twitter, Facebook, an others. Many thanks to my benefactor, Cheezhead, aka Charlie, for the invitation. Well, one super cool gal I met was Maren Hogan, a marketing/recruiting specialist, based in Omaha. You can read more

The 20th annual SHRA (Seasonal Human Resources Association) conference has come and gone and what a time we had! About 35 HR folks and International Sponsoring Agency folks gathered at the McMenamins Edgefield property in Troutdale, Oregon, just east of Portland from October 26 - 30. As always, this conference is a chance to make new friends and catch up with the old ones. Some have been to

This is more of a cool, personal post than the last one. This week I got to hang out with an Internet personality, Cheezhead, aka Joel Cheesman. And why is this cool? (......works). Well, just a year and a half ago, I had no idea who he was. Here's a brief time-line of our history. March 2007 - I joined CoolWorks.com and was introduced to Google Reader and the Cheezhead blog about recruiting

Next week is the annual Seasonal Human Resources Association (SHRA) conference, where HR managers who work for employers in the national parks or other seasonal operations will gather to talk about their year, their trials, their tribulations and other goodies about the wonderful world of HR. This year's conference happens to be in Portland, Oregon, and it's the 20th annual conference, so it

As the political season heats up, along with the planet, I have spent an inordinate amount of time reading blogs, watching videos and late night television. I watched both conventions, and tried to follow the commentary, but I found that I was just getting angry. To start, I'll admit that I'm more liberal than conservative, but I try to be open to the best idea. I am sad that our country was

While at the recent Fall ERE Expo I sat down with Nick Fishman, Chief Marketing Officer of employeescreenIQ, a global background screening company, for a quick interview recorded live on the exhibition hall floor. Nick offers some really great insight and information for the HR professional community as well as for fellow marketers.Enjoy! Podcast links:Nick mentions a recent Webinar they hosted on new FTC "red flag" guidelines every employer needs to be aware of, which is accessible here:You may also enjoy a few interviews Nick conducted while at ERE of Joel Cheesman of Cheezhead, Steve…

Bill Kutik wrote a very good article in HRE Online this week titled Recruiting Software Goes Berserk -- Again! Bill says "After seeming to settle down and consolidate for a while, recruiting software has once again become the most competitive, contentious and confused sector in all of HR technology. Why? Because they still haven't gotten it right!". (Please read the entire article - it's a good read).I agree with Bill that the recruiting software space is highly competitive - but so is just about every other product category in HR, from employee benefits to training & development. But on…

I love business ideas that challenge false choices. Companies like Wal-Mart and Dell become industry titans in part by tackling the false choice between offering products of low-cost and products of high-quality. Companies such Ikea and Target dispel the notion that the best product designers can't produce for the masses. The notion that a beer can't both taste great and be less filling... well, you get the point. Qualtrics, a company which describes itself as "a market leader in Internet-based, electronic survey creation, analysis and distribution" has developed a survey tool sophisticated…

I attended the first HRchitect Beauty Pageant today that was all about talent acquisition systems. We blogged about it last week and received some interesting commentary as well (see comments).Kudos to HRchitect for making it happen! There were only a few minor technical bumps and otherwise was a fine event with brief but comprehensive presentations.For those of you keeping score at home, these pageants are a series of 90-minute webinars where up to six vendors will compete for the votes from an estimated 200 HR professionals in attendance. They're hosted by HRchitect, an HR technology…

"I just don't have the cash flow at the moment but I need sales leads. Can you work with me?"Yes we can.This is a tough economy. Worse than the dot com collapse in the late 1990s. Much worse. I know because I launched a new business (Fisher Vista, LLC) in 2000 and while business was bad here in Silicon Valley, it was still going well in other parts of the Country. This business slowdown is not only coast-to-coast, it's global. But hang in there. It will get better. It always does.In the meantime, maybe HRmarketer can help so that you don’t do something foolish like suspend your marketing.

There’s a brand new extension in jobless benefits, unemployment is at a record level, and the automakers are dealing with some serious issues — most of which are related to labor. Where the hell are the HR pros? SHRM is advertising on CNN like crazy, but I’m yet to hear from a Human Resources professional who has been quoted in a major newspaper or interviewed by a journalist on the pressing workforce challenges in our economy. I’ve heard from CEOs, CFOs, consultants, and business writers who chime in with their thoughts & opinions on the financial crisis. Those…

When you believe in destroying the traditional model of Human Resources — much like I do — you run into major obstacles. The biggest obstacle in my life is also the biggest elephant in the room: it’s The Society for Human Resources Management. SHRM is the most influential Human Resouces association in America. It’s staffed with wonderful, genuine people want to see Human Resources continue to grow. They want HR to be a credible & important function in an organization. Many of SHRM’s employees and volunteers are my friends. It’s also a very powerful…

The Kennedy Recruiting Expo was great. Well coordinated, great speakers, and classy attendees. I’m happy with the experience — and I’m glad to have met so many like-minded recruiting bloggers and HR pros. What did I learn about recruiting? Hmmmm… I learned that cool branding efforts, design, technology, and lots of software applications will help you find the candidate of your dreams. I’m not sure if that’s recruiting, but what the hell do I know? I’m just in Human Resources. Posted in advice, HR, human resources, punk rock,…

This just in: I have decided that the trick to a good vlog is to keep it under 90 seconds. Text is so easy to read, and I’m a big fan of scanning a website or blog to pick out keywords and themes. Video is much more challenging to consume –  and I’m not a fan of vlogs (for the most part) because I have no control of the way I receive content & data. I can’t edit out the stuff that doesn’t apply to me. I know this much about life: if I can’t pay attention to someone’s vlog for more than 90 seconds, neither can you. To than end, I’m…

Dudes, here’s everything you needed to know about being a Human Resources blogger. Or whatever. [The video may still be processing. Come back. It's still there.] Posted in HR, human resources, punk rock   Tagged: kennedy expo   

In the comments on my last post on the auto industry bailout, we've started talking about the leadership in these organizations.  Today, the Senate is asking the Big 3 for their plan going forward if they do get a bailout. It's easy to look at leadership at say, "It's their fault.  Blame them.  Just get rid of them and it'll all be fine." Side note:  UAW President Ron Gettelfinger says he's not sure if the leadership is to blame, but is sure it's the economy.  (During his speech, he also went on to say that companies like…

I was going to continue the series on dealing with layoffs today.  (By the way, did you know it's up at Finding What Matters too?)  But as the fabulous Evil HR Lady somehow managed to remember, I'm officially in a 'protected class' as of today.So I'm busy celebrating.  (Well, I'm busy working.  There will be more celebrating later.  In a quiet, dignified, old-person kind of way.  And if you believe that......)All the best!deb

I'd love to be as outraged as the next guy, wondering why we're bailing out companies that made poor management decisions.  Why didn't the big 3 start working on innovative energy alternative vehicles ages ago?  Instead, they focused on sending jobs elsewhere for cheaper labor.  They did a lot of things wrong.But here's the thing.  I'm with Laurie on this one.  And maybe it's just because I know so many people personally affected by the auto industry, but I support a bailout too. I live in an area that has been largely dependent on…

you can find the latest HR Carnival up at Ask a Manager.  A great deal of good information can be found there, as usual.All the best!deb

As the government works on a mortgage planGM stocks sink to a 65-year low, and profits are coming in below projections for many companies. Sadly, more layoffs are expected.Job loss is one of the most stressful events we can face in our lives.  Last week, I wrote the first in a series of what to do if you're worried about being laid off.  Yesterday, we covered a few more tips.  The last tip was to begin to put feelers out to see what opportunities might be available for you, if the worst should happen.If you do decide to see what's out there, so that you feel more…

A reader writes:Is it recommended to add as a contact to your LinkedIn account someone you had recently interviewed with, if they are already in your extended network? Of course, this is dependent on the assumed rapport (although that can be hard to tell as well).I have mixed feelings about this. I think different hiring managers feel differently: Some only want to connect on LinkedIn with people they actually know, while others are perfectly happy to connect, even if their only knowledge of you is a job interview. I don't think it's inappropriate to request the connection though; just don't…

A reader writes:I volunteer for a company and they asked me to apply for a post which I would not have applied for in the first place. I applied and they gave it to someone else. Why set me up for such a fall?I can see how it would feel like that, but they weren't trying to set you up. Being invited to apply for a position is exactly what it sounds like -- being invited to apply, not being anointed. Otherwise, they'd just offer you the job.Companies do this when they think you might be a strong candidate, so if nothing else you should at least feel flattered that they thought highly enough of…

Someone has to break it to you, so it's going to be me: Please stop with the letters of recommendation. Don't attach them to your resume and don't offer them up at the interview. I know you feel good about them but, unfortunately, they aren't useful. Over at U.S. News & World Report today, I explain why. Please check it out here.

A reader writes:Well first off, you have a great blog, which is extremely informative and finally gives job applicants a sense of what is going on in the hiring manager's mind. Plus almost every post ends in "he/she is a jerk/ass," which always makes the reading that much more enjoyable.I had an interview with a company on October 9th, where I met with the Hiring Manager, and a HR Manager which went very well. I was given a time-line of 2 weeks, of when would be an acceptable time to follow up, and was reassured that I would definitely hear back from them either which way. The hiring manager…

A reader writes:My employer has a holiday party every year. This year, I don't really want to go. I feel like if I go, I'm accepting the "free dinner" when the company spends $ on company cars and other gifts instead of giving us health insurance. I don't know a good excuse without hurting anyone's feelings. What can I tell my manager?Say you have to work at your second job to pay for your health insurance.No. Say you have a scheduling conflict and unbreakable plans that night, maybe a family obligation. That's assuming you're looking for a tactful way to get out of it and that you're not…

Yep, I've been gone on a long walk lately from my blog. It can primarily be summed up in a word...Layoffs! My company is in the midst of them and of course HR is right in the thick of things. I hate this part of my job. While I don't choose who goes and stays, I still feel horrible. It's usually the new employees who go. Those are the ones with fresh ideas. Yes, they may eat fruit in meetings but they work hard. Added to the list is long-term employees who are high performers but work in an area that needs to be reduced. It's more difficult this time because there is nowhere else to go. These…

Dear Kahuna,There are a few things I would like you to know about your horrific choice of HR Manager Mr. Shit4Brains.Micromanagers are cancer to a workplace. This guy has taken of group of experienced professionals and turned them into his version of Charlie's Angels. Does he realize his behavior creates the appearance that he can't trust his staff and is, therefore, a crappy manager? The organization realizes he is a pig from hell but apparently he hasn't gone far enough to get the boot. Inexperienced managers tend to lack the experience to trust their staff. They NEED to know enough to…

Venting HR Guy tagged me so I guess I will try to come up with another six facts about myself. Don't count on them being too interesting.In a world of dog and cat people, I am definitely a dog person.If I didn't work in HR and didn't despise people in general, I would be an interior decorator. I love hockey but I don't get to see it very much where I live. This is difficult considering I grew up watching one of the original six teams. I am still a huge fan of this team. Any guesses on the city?I am addicted to TIVO.If I was 10 years younger, I would go to law school.I frequently (and usually…

Apparently my ratings have slipped. Alltop needs a new section, perhaps called, "Allbottom" for those of us who used to be listed who now have been banished. Instead of a button that says, "Confirmation that I kick ass" how about, "Confirmation that I USED to kick ass?"All in jest.

I was tagged by HR Minion to confess six random things about me. Well, let's see if I have anything interesting to share:I suffer from/enjoy road rage. In my mind, only bad drivers bring this out in me but those who have had the unfortunate luck of being a passenger of mine would probably disagree. I love my children (most of the time) but I am not a great admirer of children.Most of my friends are men.I believe public service should be mandatory. I am a first generation American.I don't vote.This task came with a requirement to tag others but I am going to abstain. While I don't mind playing…

VisualCV, a site that transforms traditional resumes into online digital representations, has announced a new job seeker/employer component. VisualCV’s new Career Connection allows members to submit their digital resumes to companies on the site. Employers are than asked to pay a small fee if they would like to reveal the personal contact info of the candidate. “We want to empower our individual members to manage their careers whether they are in active job search mode or reaching out to make sure they are on the radar of the companies they would like to work for,” said VisualCV…

I came across the following search results today, interestingly with bullets before each one. Obviously, just a test. And I’m doubtful this will become commonplace. But noteworthy.

Anyone who remembers the dot-bomb period, somewhere between 2001-03 remembers a time and online job search experience wrought with interstitials, pop-ups, pop-unders, “Whack-a-Mole” banners and “Make eBay Millions” postings. As an industry, anecdotal evidence even pointed to the selling of resumes and e-mail addresses to the most dubious of third parties. All in the name of survival. Will 2009 take us back to the future? Likely. Times are tough. Job board owners are talking about 25-40 percent decreases in postings. Stories of layoffs at boards big and small abound.

Two job seekers walk into a conference room, anticipating an interview with a recruiter for a technical position. One job seeker has a presentation tucked under his arm. The other carries nothing but a worn-out copy of his resume and a nervous smile. The former sits down in front of the recruiter, takes a deep breath, and dives into his lengthy presentation, which he created on InterviewBest.com. For about $30 (and only two weeks of access), a job seeker can log on to the site and create a personalized portfolio to present to the hiring manager, complete with opening and closing arguments and…

A friend and colleague of mine likes to describe performance management as "an unsolvable problem".  There are days, frankly, as I work with my clients to make this process a more valuable and effective one, that I feel inclined to agree with him.  It's difficult.  But it's also important. With organizations increasingly seeking to spend their compensation dollars as wisely as possible - by linking them to performance results - we are left with this simple fact.  There is no paying for performance without performance measurement of some type.  And unless you are…

This made me smile, but that's because I am a sucker for irony. Kris Dunn, editor at Fistful of Talent, has an intriguing post up on the Plum Book, which lists all of the positions, along with associated pay ranges, that the new presidential administration will be filling to round out their leadership roster.  (Access your copy of the Plum Book here.)  After a review of the document, Kris informs us that: Alas, while you and your company may be subjected to new laws like the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation that would allow the government to help you value talent as a…

I've posted before on controlling the salary chaos that comes in the form of inconsistent midpoint differentials.  These past few weeks have brought me several encounters with the problem, including a workbook on building salary structures (published by a major source of educational materials for the field of rewards) that essentially presented inconsistent midpoint differentials as one legitimate option to pursue in developing your structure.  Fortunately, in the latter case, the authors did do us the favor of highlighting some of the teensy little difficulties that this approach…

The latest edition of the Carnival of HR is up at Ask a Manager. Hurry over and check out the impressive array of 26 posts showcasing the best of the HR blogging community. Image: Creative Commons Photo "Midway" by Jeremy Goldstein

Kris Dunn (the HR Capitalist) and Mike Haberman (HR Observations) have important posts up alerting us to plans under consideration by Congress for 401(k) plans. From the Capitalist post: History has a way of showing that whenever the Democrats or the Republicans hold both houses and the White House, over-reaching the mandate given by the people is usually right around the corner. For example, would you believe that eliminating the 401k Tax Benefit for employees is under consideration in the newly blue Washington? Kris provides a helpful link to the Philadelphia Bulletin which discusses in…

1. I realized I’ve been in HR too long when I was reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to my daughter and when Grandpa Joe tells about how Mr. Wonka just shut down his factory and fired all 10,000 workers and all I can think about is, “You can’t do that! You just violated the WARN act. Being mad at competitors is not a valid reason not to give 60 days notice.”2. Why is it that if I can’t answer the phone when someone calls, but I call them back within five minutes, they are never at their desks? Ever. It’s like “I must call Evil HR Lady before I leave for that Mount Everest…

I'm a little bit tired and cranky. (Although not as cranky as Mr. Crabby pants who got 5 needles jabbed into his little thighs today. Sorry--just a bit of mommy blogging here.) So, when I read this I wanted to grab some HR VPs and bang their little heads together:During the past year, several companies, including AT&T Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Cigna Corp., have been hit with lawsuits in which employees claimed that they were not paid for the 15- to 30-minute task of booting their computers at the start of each day and logging out at the end.I'll leave the legalities to the lawyers…

See, I remembered! Now you are in a protected class. The thing all of us HR types dream about.

My company is a family owned manufacturing business. The owner's son manages the place while the owner has moved to another state. The son hires a friend of his and promises to pay him more than the set amount that entry level employees make. This friend had no prior experience to warrant being paid more, nor has the company ever paid any employee in this position more than another in this same position (as a starting pay). In the past, this boss has also hired all 5 of his children and paid them more than anyone else. Is this legal? Is it ethical? I'm stuck in the HR/ payroll position and…

I am an HR Professional and I know what a "Summary Plan Description" is ( surveys)

This post has been bouncing around in my head for a while with no home.  An itch I couldn't scratch, a sound with no location, a pixelated picture I couldn't make out.  Until now. In the November issue of CRM magazine is an article entitled "Six Sigma:  What Went Wrong?"  The subhead to the article is "A 60 percent failure rate suggests process change requires behavior change." Hmmm.... process change requires behavior change. Who Should I Talk to About People Issues? I've spoken to more than a few clients about how to use rewards,…

In second grade, it was all about getting the scratch-n-sniff sticker.  Not the gold star, not the smiley face, but the highly coveted (and in my case grape scented) scratch-n-sniff on the top of your paper.  This meant you REALLY aced the test or your sentence structure was better crafted than all the other kids in the class.  Wasn’t it cool when recognition and rewards actually meant something?!! On November 4th, Starbucks  rewarded all voters with a free 12-ounce cup of coffee.  Chick-fil-A gave those bearing an “I voted” sticker a coupon for a…

I know I am tired of reading about all the bad news in the world, and I am sure you are as well.  The news has been all about the meltdown in the financial sector, frozen credit markets, rising foreclosure rates, and greedy bankers on Wall Street.  So what does that news have to do with organizational development and Talent?  We have seen banks literally disintegrate in the last 6 months and the last two Bulge Bracket investment banks (Goldman and Morgan Stanley) converted to bank holding companies a couple weeks ago.  There are fundamental changes underway in banking…

Think you have problems on the Talent cost structure front? Let's keep it in perspective.  You have concerns.  Ford and the other auto makers have problems. The US auto industry was in DC this week, begging for a bail out.  That got me wondering what the total talent cost structure was for Detroit automakers.  Here's a clip from the AP I found: "Detroit News columnist Daniel Howes, citing people familiar with Ford's bargaining strategy, reported earlier Wednesday that Ford would seek to cut hourly labor costs by 30 percent, from about $71 to around…

Wow. I just finished having lunch with a very smart, very accomplished woman with about 20 years of experience in a high demand field. You might be asking yourself, why would such a woman want to have lunch with someone with less than two years of experience in recruiting (the newbie in recruiting, I like to say or if you prefer, the recrewbie)? Because, I'm there. This highly accomplished woman called me because she saw me here, and here, and over here and all over the place. She and her cohorts, the exec set of my city, have finally started calling my phone, asking what they can do to…

The media have been voyeuristically poring over the leaked BNP membership lists, trying to find something or someone interesting enough to write about. Even the Financial Times, where the letters BNP usually refer to a French bank, has this handy little tool to help you find out how many far-rightists there are in your area. All this talk of mass sackings of BNP members is, of course, complete nonsense. As Mishcon de Reya’s Beth Leng says, the change in the definition of discrimination on the grounds of belief in the Equality Act 2006 will probably protect BNP members in most…

Another one sent to me by people at Canary Wharf. I think there’s a sort of gallows humour going on over there. An architect, a surgeon and a banker are discussing the Creation. The surgeon says: ‘Look, we surgeons are most important. God’s a surgeon because the first thing he did was to extract Eve from Adam’s rib.’ The architect says: ‘No, God must be an architect. He made the world in seven days out of chaos.’ The banker smiles: ‘And who made the chaos?’       

HR Minion found this Star Trek poster, which looks like it’s from that famous de-motivational slides series. Those old enough to remember Star Trek, or geeky enough to have watched the repeats, will remember that every episode, the crew were beamed down to some hostile planet. Among them would be one or two people you’d never seen before who were wearing red shirts. They were always the ones to get zapped by the aliens. HR Minion gives some advice on how to avoid becoming a red shirt. Finding myself a niche and a peculiar but useful mix of skills always worked for me. Or, at…

In uncertain times times, it is human nature to seek safety in numbers. Looking for a gang to join or a big tent to shelter in makes sense when the outside world looks dangerous. Iceland, after years of opposition, is considering joining the EU and could be a member as early as 2011. The Work Foundation’s Chief Executive, Will Hutton, argued that the UK should now swallow its pride and join the Euro. The LSE’s Professor Willem Buiter agrees but sounds a note of caution, and this is the funny bit, that after its bailout of RBS, the UK will be in too much debt to meet the…

OK, she didn’t actually say that but she came as close as Royal protocol would allow. On a tour of the London School of Economics she asked Professor Luis Garicano why, given the enormity of the financial crisis, did none of the experts see it coming?  The prof replied: At every stage, someone was relying on somebody else and everyone thought they were doing the right thing. And the Queen’s succinct one-word response: “Awful!” That pretty much sums it up.       

I don't know about you, my dear readers, but the end of the year means my yearly performance review. In a meeting with my boss today he asked me to start thinking about my accomplishments this past year and some goals I want to strive for in 2009.Now, thinking about all the good things I've done over the last year can be hard enough sometimes (I need to be less humble), but it can also be a challenge to think of what I want to accomplish next year. I know I want to get my PHR certification but that's about it. I do like my job and company, but to be perfectly honest, it's not much of a…

You don't want to be a red shirt. Red shirts don't have names. Red shirts don't get the cool minion tasks. Red shirts don't save the day or get the girl (or guy). Red shirts die within the first five minutes of any mission. I repeat: You do not want to be a red shirt.But you're a minion you cry, how can you avoid such a lowly fate? You may be a minion but that does not mean that you are interchangeable with every other minion, or at least you don't have to be.How do you set yourself apart? By providing value to the mission besides being expendable. Whether it be expertise on critical…

I'm going to keep this simple: Please. Don't. Crack. Jokes. During. The. Interview.I know you are nervous. I know you are trying to appear nice, interesting, engaging, whatever. But your goal in this interview should not be to make me laugh; it should be to impress me with your ability to do the job. Laughter is great in an interview... when it comes naturally. Any humor you get in an interview should be spontaneous, effortless, and genuine. Forcing it is bad, and just because I laugh good-naturedly at your awkward jokes, it does not mean I am amused.I don't care if you think you are the…

A while ago HR Underling tagged me and just recently HR Bartender did so as well. I guess if people are so interested I should play along again. Here are the rules:1. Link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog.2. Share 7 facts about yourself in the post - some random, some weird.3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or Twitter.And here are the facts:1. I am an avid reader and own over 650 books. And that's just mine, not including all of The…

The newest Carnival of HR is up now at Ask a Manager. Be sure to check it out here as I actually remembered to enter a submission this time.This is also my 100th post! Yay! I hope you all have liked what I have done so far and I will strive to improve in the future!

I have a new position that I will be interviewing candidates for soon. The key responsibility is to source hard to fill positions and to do that by developing an on-line presence and utilizing Internet resources - search strings, forums, job boards, social networking tools etc. We have got to get away from prints ads and the person selected for this position will be taking the first steps for us and breaking new ground. Short of asking "So, do you Twitter?" (and watch the not-sure-if-I-should-be-offended looks) what questions do you think I could ask? If you interview with me and mention…

I was tagged today by Kristine and like her, I’m not usually enthused about playing along, but in this case, I also appreciate the opportunity to share and learn more about other bloggers out there. So, as I warm up from a cool, winter day in Minnesota, here are the rules: Link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog. Share seven facts about yourself in the post - some random, some weird. Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs. Let them know they have been tagged. Here it goes: I can't read music - at all…

I just read a post by a blogger I read regularly and it resounded with me. She has great perspectives, runs a successful business and is out there to learn, teach and grow. She is super, yet she fears that she will forever be 'just mediocre.' Simply writing that shows that she is not, yet she fears that she is. Unfortunately, she is not alone. Why is it that we are so hard on ourselves? Is your human condition acting up again? Go find some love. You deserve it!

The latest edition of the Carnival of HR, featuring 26 posts from the HR and management blogging community is at Ask A Manger. Check it out!

I posted a few days ago asking for ideas on no-win or potentially combustible situations for a supervisor and provided an example. A few readers responded to the example. One reader wrote, "I am very curious about the situation you posted as an example because I actually encounter a version of it in my workplace, and it definitely feels no-win to me!" Let's take a look at it: a work group is striving for a higher level of excellence. One member of the team, however, continues to deliver just the minimum effort required. Each member of the team seeks out the supervisor to complain about…

Anurag posted a Facebook note with a real story: So there is this guy who till last week was looking forward to join [well known company] as Sr VP of HR . Wooed to the extent {name of Promoter} sent people to his home to ensure there is an "emotional connect" even before the guy joins. All was fine till he got a letter last week withdrawing the offer. No one spoke to him , no compensation whatsoever and the poor fellow is looking for a job at the age of 48 in this economy. So this is the story of what is happening with one of NSE50 companies. [Well known company] shares are trading at 15% of…

Thank you Mathew Hayden, for calling us 'third world'. As Sudhanshu blogs , things are getting quite bad in the 'first world' and 'second world' From what I read, it looks like that at least for now, there is a lot of pressure to regulate salary. How come such a socialist attitude in the bastions of capitalism? One reason is that government money is being pumped into their financial institutions, and with that comes pressure to rein in the galloping pay packets. Wall Street Journal reports that “More countries move to curb executive pay, at companies with and without government…