Hiring Manager vs. HR: Fighting the Good Fight

I recently had a back-and-forth with some credit union colleagues as the result of a blog post from CU Warrior.  At first I was shocked at some of the responses  from fellow enlightened individuals of the movement.  But then again, I wasn’t surprised in the least.  Business leaders still think HR is ineffective.  And I regularly remind myself of this by reading the landmark article “Why We Hate HR”, originally published over five years ago. 

The rhetorical question was asked:  What if the fight to improve relations between the hiring manager and HR impacted service, created departmental silos, fostered disengaged employees, etc.  Is the decision to fight still the ‘right’ decision?

Yes.  Yes it is.  We have so much to gain in a true partnership between Operations and HR.  We have equally as much to lose when we reduce ourselves to political maneuvering and actions that only promote self-interest and employment security.   Let me paint a worst-case / best-case picture. 

Worst Case

Hiring Manager Monologue:  “HR really doesn’t understand what we do.  I’ll go through the motions of their tactics so that I am perceived as a team player, but honestly I know what I need to do in order to hire someone.  In the end I’ll get my way because HR is easily distracted when I play along.”

HR Monologue:  “The hiring manager thinks they know how to interview, but in reality they wouldn’t know a rock star candidate from their own reflection.  I’ll prove this to them with an expedition of recruiting methodologies, questioning tactics, and intellectual assessments that measure true talent.  Surely they will see my worth as a result of my efforts.  If they don’t comply we’ll rehire within a year and that will ensure that I’m right.”

Best Case

Hiring Manager Monologue:  “HR is here to help me.  They hire people day in and day out, and know the best methods for sourcing candidates.  I know what I need in the right fit for my department, but I’m not quite sure how to find it.  HR can help me formulate the right questions to ask to ensure that we’re not hiring a candidate who simply knows how to interview well, but rather someone who has the real knowledge, skills, and motivation to be a great contributor.”

HR Monologue:  “The hiring manager can help me understand the goals of the position we’re hiring for.  So long as I ask the right questions, we’ll uncover the needs, desires, and pain-points that can be realized if we find the right person.  I trust that the hiring manager is telling me everything relevant to what makes a good fit, even if it means being ‘politically incorrect’ in the corporate culture.  The hiring manager is my key ally to promote the optimal balance in our organization.”

If the hiring manager and HR representative are truly engaged and passionate about making the right decisions – not for themselves, but for the organization –  the latter of the two scenarios is more likely to occur.  Certainly it still takes hard work, with equal parts of new bridge building and tearing down of old walls.  But absent of this real partnership, we will continue to experience status quo.  Mediocrity in the hiring relationship begets mediocrity in employee performance.  And if there’s any industry that shines brightly as an example of mediocrity, it’s credit unions.  We’ve managed to be no better or worse than ourselves for the past 70+ years. 

Demand better.  And if you’re not outraged you’re not paying attention. 

Music Distribution - Win a free iPad!

Distributors of stuff are suffering to keep the monetization streams to which they are accustomed.  There are many creative solutions to the woes of news and  music, but the fact of the matter is that both are highly commoditized, and therefore overruled by alternatives that are free.  This is why I have all but given up hope on making money on my music…I just want people to listen to it.  (Besides, I seem to make too many excuses in getting anything new completed.)

Blokes such as David Bowie have a perchance for embracing new technology, fostering a robust web community, aligning with satellite radio, and providing numerous online channels for distribution.   Nevertheless we still see the likes of others such as Prince who provided free copies of his new album  “20TEN” in The Daily Mirror last July.  In fact, Prince has recently gone as far to say that the internet is over. 

Promotional distribution – in whatever its form – is nothing new.  And at the end of the day musicians simply want their music to be heard.  When such musical geniuses have done so much in pushing the envelope to have their music heard, it leaves little hope for guys like me.  And yet we still have the likes of Justin Bieber.  (I refuse to hyperlink him.)  When mediocre talent is found by chance and sold by promotability, where does that leave the rest of us hard-working souls who add to the commoditization of music? 

Reflection: The 1 Credit Union Conference

Reflecting on The One Conference I find myself at a crossroads.  On the one hand I find myself more impassioned by the credit union movement – our philosophy and vision, and the desire to empower people to a better financial future.  On the other hand, I find myself frustrated by a stagnated industry mired in politics and mediocrity. 

I believe that the not-for-profit financial services industry wants to do good in the world.  However, we engage in self-justification and naval gazing while simultaneously failing to gain market share and relevance.  Surely I’m not the only credit union advocate to realize this.

In the words of Alec Baldwin’s character in Glengarry Glen Ross:  “Get mad, you sons of bitches!  Get mad!”  

The general public perception is that it has never been more uncool to be a banker right now.  A colleague of mine recently commented he was contemplating going back to his old job as a car salesman because the customers were more trusting.   Believe me, he gets credit union philosophy – public perception and trust has simply eroded to this depth. 

What can we do to solve this dilemma? 

Vegas, Credit Unions, Social Media

Last month I got involved with a bunch of professional Crashers within the credit union movement.  It’s a growing force of Gen Y professionals who are passionate about the not-for-profit banking scene that precedes the fame of Muhammad Yunus.  Good stuff, to be sure. 

We were planning to crash The One Conference next week.  Why crash?  Because registration is expensive as all get out, and most Gen Y professionals simply don’t have the dollars to commit to such professional development experiences.  At the same time, we want to  youthanize (that’s right) the credit union movement with fresh perspective and business insight  not typically afforded to the ‘banking’ community.  Basically, we think we have something to offer in crashing the party. 

Well, through the efforts of Brent Dixon, and the insane generosity of Tony Hill at PSCU Financial Services, we Crashers now have full registration!  So you can fully expect us to  sing from the mountain top our praises. 

So follow me on Twitter, join my network on LinkedIn, subscribe to my blog, …I even created a *sigh* Foursquare account for this thing! 

More to come next week.

Perception Is Reality

I had an engaging conversation with a trusted colleague of mine a couple weeks ago regarding the concept of ‘perception is reality’.  It was a refreshing reminder that critical thought remains available even amidst a recessionary environment where self justification often prevails as a means of positioning for future rewards.

…Many of us have been subject at some point in our career to a prescribed judgment of mediocrity by virtue of the boss perceiving our performance as less than optimal.  And rather than quantifying such assumptions with data, it is justified by some iteration of the ‘perception is reality’ argument. 

Far be it from me to completely disqualify this argument.  After all, any competent professional understands the idiosyncrasies of being well liked in the office and thus afforded more opportunity for advancement.  It is simply human nature to engage accordingly, and demonstrative of the virtues of trust as a mechanism to reward like-minded behavior. 

However, I propose that as formers/keepers of corporate culture we have an onus far greater than this simplistic philosophy.  We have a responsibility to entertain the character of oppositional thought, as it a representative part of the collective whole that comprises the organization. 

Overall, we have a responsibility to challenge the ‘perception is reality’ proposition that plagues corporate culture.  It is lazy in that it fails to engage the due diligence requisite in measuring true performance.  If we reduce ourselves to measuring worth in others as a proxy to our own accomplishments, we fail the organization in facilitating the progression of intellectual thought that helps achieve its strategic objectives. 

Which is to say, ‘perception is reality’ is a failed model of management.  Do better.  Give true 360 degree feedback that is absent of anonymity and full of data that can be woven together to promote knowledge and understanding of the landscape.  Further, provide specificity in what actions are necessary to overcome adversity.  Finally, lest you want mutiny amongst your team, don’t move the goalpost without fair warning.  After all you yourself asks for nothing less.

Comments, rebuttals, and stories welcome. 

Resumes: "Who Do You Want Me to Be?"

More often than not I hear HR professionals recommend candidates to tailor their resume towards a specific job description.  This apparently increases one’s likelihood to be called for that initial phone interview.  In all honesty, such a practice makes me cringe.  Here’s why.

1.        Changing your resume to what you think I want to hear is BS.  It’s like going on a blind date with someone who’s trying way too hard to seem relatable.  …Actually, I tested someone out on that once by expressing my (sarcastic) appreciation for North Korea.  The response:  “Oh my God!  I totally see where you’re coming from…Kim Jong Il is just misunderstood!”  Winner winner, chicken dinner.

2.       On a practical level, you either have the skills I’m looking for or you don’t.  It’s a disservice to yourself if you attempt to pretend otherwise.  Believe me, I’ll cut the interaction if I can tell you’re faking it.  Shortest interview I’ve conducted was 9 minutes; and that was me being gentle and allowing the candidate to ask the questions she had.  NEDM…

3.       On a more cerebral and encouraging level, please don’t stress out about inserting the ‘correct’ verbs or adjectives in your resume.  If you’re truly meant to make a career love connection, your verbiage will be aligned with that which the company uses. 

So really it all comes down to the adage ‘just be yourself’.  This is increasingly difficult for the masses of genuinely talented people who have been out of work for an extended period of time.  But I urge you to keep it real for the benefit of everyone involved.  Lest you be lookin’ for love in all the wrong places…

Social business in a capitalistic society

I saw Muhammad Yunus at Town Hall Seattle a couple Sundays ago.  The 2006 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Yunus was speaking about his new book Building Social Business.  Hearing the talk I reflected on the Red Winged Leadership Award I recently participated in, and how its objectives are aligned with a growing push for sustainability and social impact in business. 

 

 

Aligning ROI by the impact an investment has on society is certain to cause some confusion, or at the very least a few questions of, “what’s the point?”  Let my investments be for my benefit, and my charitable dollars be for good deeds.  …I believe the concept of social business is salient because it promotes reinvestment in social impact.  Say I have $1,000 to designate to a social cause, and choose a social business that has a plan to achieve the goal and the acumen in see it to success. 

 

Eventually the business thrives and I am repaid my initial investment of $1,000, which I may now designate to another social cause.  I am no longer incurring additional out-of-pocket charitable contributions, as I have designated my initial investment of $1,000 as somewhat of a sunk cost.  (I use the term loosely.)  In essence, my charitable dollar is self sustaining – that is as long as I invest it carefully. 

 

 

With this consideration I believe the social business model can prosper in a capitalistic society.  As Yunus puts it, social business “[…]does not intend to monopolize the market and take the existing option away.  It adds to the competition.” 

 

 

It reminds me of the coop movement in which credit unions are built.  But that’s another posting for another day. 

Does Passing a Test Make a Good Hire?

A colleague and good friend of mine recently shared how her credit union uses a standardized test to hire tellers – a virtual teller simulation of sorts.  In the test you are given member service situations and have multiple choice answers to select from.  Our conversation surrounded the question, “Does successful completion of this test increase the likelihood of a more successful hire?” 

My answer?  No.  Let me get all academic on this.  The articulation and synthesis of prior experiences is demonstrative of future success.  Completing a standardized test (the virtual teller program in this case) may be a way to see if someone answers a tactical question correctly, but with it being multiple choice it forces an answer that does not allow a candidate to show their creativity in how they might provide service to a person or solve a problem. 

A good interview starts with the list of questions you want to ask a candidate that will reveal more information about their experience.    In this day in age any competent candidate who has done 20 minutes of research knows how to answer standard questions.  So hopefully yours are better than that.  (But creating interview questions is another topic.)  The point is these are merely ‘starting points’ in what becomes more of a dialogue.  To give an idea in what I do as follow up:  I ask candidates detailed questions based upon their response to the initial question: the challenges they faced, what they learned, or in what ways they have grown.  The ways a candidate has adapted and overcome challenges can be categorized in a framework that is useful to others throughout the company – the hiring manager, the team, HR, etc. 

Some of the best tellers I have hired come from other backgrounds:  Starbucks, Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, come off the top of my head.  Because they were able to demonstrate the synthesis of their prior experiences, and articulate them well in an interview, it indicated to me they are able to learn the tactical skills necessary for the job, and also have a high rate of development. 

People who are ‘developmentally ready’ in this case have far greater engagement in their work.  Simply put, they’re excited about the new job, and are committed to being successful.  Of course, all of this has to be sustained by a manager who is able to support the new employee.  Proper on-boarding plans and development cycles must be in place, in addition to feedback channels and, of course, the requisite performance reviews.  If these are not existent, the employee will likely become disengaged and leave inside of one year.  But to encapsulate our purpose in hiring:  we seek candidates who have the emotional intelligence and commitment to do the job well.  Even if they have 60-70% of the actual skills needed for the job, if they are developmentally ready then they will likely be a ‘good hire’. 

How To Get An Interview

If you’re reading this by virtue of the title alone, you are likely one of the many unfortunate people who find themselves without work that pays a sustainable wage.  Let’s skip past all the chatter about how bad the economy is…we get it.  And we already know that employment is a lagging indicator of economic recovery, so let’s not talk about time.  Let’s talk about getting you the next career placement as soon as possible. 

Notice I didn’t say “job”.  If you’re looking for employment then there is no excuse why you are not working right now.  But you’re better than that.  You have focused intentions, and defined skills.  If you’re good, you have an inherent sense of your value proposition.  So let’s focus our efforts on activities that will increase your chances of getting face-to-face with the hiring team you want to work for.

Step 1: Stop Calling HR

It’s true.  At least, don’t call me if you do not have a specific purpose.  If you got the email confirmation that your resume was received from the career website, trust that it was indeed received.  Don’t call me to ask if it was.  And don’t call with a sense of confidence saying “I know you want to interview me; when can we schedule this meeting?”  I’m not impressed.  What does leave a positive impression is if you’ve taken the time to research the team you want to work for.  Have you called the hiring manager to ask what she’s looking for in a candidate?  If you’re nice, I bet she will tell you.  Have you gotten the contact information of a team member, and asked him for an informational interview of what the job looks like?  Believe me, if you conduct yourself appropriately he will be eager to expound his knowledge upon you.  The result of all this is that now the hiring manager or team members are coming to me saying, “Hey we really need to give _______ a shot for an interview, and here’s why.”  Not once have I turned down a request such as this…even when the resume is less than stellar.  Which brings us to Step 2.

 

Step 2:  Translate Yourself to the Job

You have knowledge, skills, and abilities that relate to the opportunity in front of you.  Don’t presume HR – or the hiring manager, for that matter – to translate that.  Make it explicit.  Relate your achievements, in quantifiable terms, to our business model.  Highlight your abilities that align with our core values and long term vision.  For goodness sake, don’t just bullet point your job description on your resume.  This is a waste of everyone’s time.  Believe me, very few people in this world are known by namesake, and therefore you have to differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other applications I’m reviewing.  Think of who else might be applying for this position, and articulate yourself in ways that help me understand why you are better. 

Step 3:  Be Ready At  a Moment’s Notice

Sounds easy enough, but honesty this all-encompassing step means that you’ve completed thorough research, on everything.  You’ve researched the company and are able to demonstrate yourself in a congruent fashion.  You’ve  practiced common interview questions with your colleagues so that you can appear polished.  You’ve identified the value that this career opportunity brings to your development, and can expound upon how it will add to your portfolio of professional experience.  And you focus yourself so that within the interview you remember names, themes, and strive to make a connection with the individuals in front of you.  You’re ready for a phone interview, panel interview, or for a submission of work samples that demonstrate your expertise. 

What I hope you will gleam from this is that applying for your next career placement is not a shotgun approach, or speed dating.  It is crafted, articulated, and refined.  Inherently, this means that you’re applying to less jobs, because the focus that it takes for you to submit a quality application takes much longer.  In a day of age where applying for a job is as simple as clicking “Submit”, you must understand that you are amongst thousands of other candidates just like you.  So work smarter, not harder.  In the meantime, I offer you my sincere appreciation for your tenacity.   

Preamble

The Human Resource function remains widely regarded as a second class citizen in the corporate landscape.  Yes, our vernacular has evolved to use all sorts of smart, driven, businessy phrases.  But for too many the bottom line has yet to be found.

The problem is that HR kin are too nice, too service oriented, and too worried about satisfying people’s desires.  We sacrifice our effectiveness for components we have no control over – employee behavior and morale.  Well, I say the hell with that.  Let your family and friends make you happy; I’m here to make you successful.  Should your happiness be a result of being successful, more power to the both of us.

Let me be clear: I love people and I love humanity.  I am a hopeless optimist and progressive.  But with this comes an irritable passion for progress, results, and accountability.  The best satisfaction I have is helping people realize their true potential in their career…who also acknowledge we all need a swift kick in the pants from time to time. 

The content that follows in this forum are simple musings.  At the time of writing they are convictions, but not absolute truths.  I believe the definition of something changes as soon as we name it.  Evolution of thought inevitable.  So don’t hate…celebrate.