Tip-toeing to Human Resources

“But how do I get my foot in the door to HR if I don’t have any experience?”

I get asked this question a lot!

Believe or not, my degree was not in Human Resources. My path to HR was from an accounting degree that put me in a position that was responsible for payroll. When the organization I worked for split off from their parent company, it left me the only one that could answer questions about benefits and policies. Voila! I became the Human Resources Director for that organization. I learned everything I needed to know through training and personal research and went on to continue working in Human Resource director and related roles.

Here are a few recommendations I share with those that are interested in pursuing a Human Resources role.

Benefits of Human Resource Certifications

I frequently encourage university students to consider taking a Human Resource certification exam after they complete their Human Resource courses. These certifications often provide the “edge” needed to obtain a new position in Human Resources. These page has been created to support anyone who is interested in pursuing one of the certification options. Be sure to check the original sites for the most recent information.

What are the options for certifications?

There are two different organizations for Human Resource credentialing. They each have different requirements to test as well as somewhat different structures. I have outlined both of them here.

Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI)

HRCI is the organization that provides the SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources), the PHR (Professional Human Resource), the aPHR (Associate Professional Human Resource), as well as several others.

The HRCI site has a comparison of the assessments they offer on this site page.

• aPHR - this is a good option for students that do not have any Human Resource experience as well as those just beginning to work in Human Resources. There are no previous Human Resource experience requirements

• PHR - according to the HRCI website, “The PHR is for the HR professional who has experience with program implementation, has a tactical/logistical orientation, is accountable to another HR professional within the organization, and has responsibilities that focus on the HR department rather than the whole organization.”

• SPHR - eligibility for this exam is based on a combination of education and Human Resource experience. The requirement options include at least seven years of experience, OR five years of experience with a bachelor’s degree, OR four years of experience with a Master’s degree or higher.

Society for human resource management

The SHRM credentials include the SHRM-CP (SHRM Certified Professional) and the SHRM-SCP (SHRM Senior Certified Professional.

• SHRM-CP - this is a good option for students that do not have any Human Resource experience as well as those just beginning to work in Human Resources. There are no previous Human Resource experience requirements.

• SHRM-SCP - eligibility for this exam is based on a combination of education and Human Resource experience and are best explained by visiting the SHRM site.

Reminder: Regardless of which credential you decide to pursue, always check their website for the most recent information.

Any Other Tips?

Volunteer and connect with HR organizations!

Another great way to tip toe into HR is to volunteer to help in an HR department somewhere or ask if you can “shadow” an HR leader. This will give you the opportunity to let others know that you are interested as well as give you an idea of what options there are in the HR field.

Join an HR organization.

Most everywhere has an HR organization that students and those that have related roles can join. Find out what organizations are available where you are. At a minimum, you should be able to visit a meeting and maybe make some connections. People that are in the field will likely know about possible openings before they are posted.

And, by the way, consider a recruiting position. These positions are always looking for employees and are great ways to connect with HR leaders and potential future employers!

Free Tool for Having Those Difficult Conversations

When coaching or training leaders, there tends to be a pattern of procrastination around having difficult conversations. Sometimes, those difficult conversations are avoided for too long and then you have a major mountain to address!

Over the years of working with leaders, I’ve identified two things that provide support to leaders to take action and address situations that need a “difficult conversation”. An incentive and a plan. I developed the attached tool and an activity called “Dream Big” to help leaders take action. Reach out if you would like more tools for leadership skills or a special training session for your team!

FREE TOOL FOR HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS

Do I Have to Tell Them?

It doesn’t matter if you are a human resources leader, an owner who wears multiple hats, or you just happen to lead people and be in the role of filling the need, HR has to deal with a lot of things that aren’t always comfortable. From situations about performance issues to body odor or white slacks that are too see through, human resource practitioners everywhere deal with a lot of challenges.

With over 20 years of human resources experience, I can tell you that my best tip for you is to always address the issue head on. Here are some tips for diving in.

• Start by asking yourself, “How would I feel if no one told me about the perceived issue?” and “What will the future look like if I do nothing?” and “What can it look like if this challenge is addressed?” Nothing supports taking action like a positive outlook for the future.

• From an HR perspective, some additional questions you may ask include “How does this affect other workers?”, “How does this impact the delivery of the product we produce or service we deliver?”, and “How would this look if everyone did it?” A leader I respect once told me to look at exceptions employees want to make by asking yourself, “Would it be okay if everyone did this?” If not, is is likely not something you should make an exception for. (I’m not including exceptions that are health or crisis based here. Genuine concern for people is never a bad thing.)

• Feedback is really a gift that we give others. This mindset is agreed on by many well-known people including Bill Gates and Marshall Goldsmith. We don’t grow and develop without it. The challenge people typically have with it is how it is delivered.

• Practice looking at situations and conversations that you need to have by writing down facts that can be verified. Put yourself in the place of a researcher were facts are the only things that are important and list out what comes to mind. You’ll use this to develop your introduction statement for the conversation.

• Spend some time developing a 1 to 2 minute introduction of what you want to discuss. Clarifying the purpose of the meeting and discussion at the beginning will eliminate assumptions and help you to remain in control of the conversation. Those first words are usually the most difficult. In the words of Brené Brown, “Clear is kind and unclear is unkind.” This does not mean being blunt or rude. It simply means that you don’t do anyone a favor by tip-toeing and being vague or unclear when you talk. Think about those group meetings where the leader states a problem that everyone needs to address when everyone knows the exact person who needs to hear the message. Often times that person who needs the message doesn’t even get it!

• When you finish your introduction, simply be quiet and listen. If the listener tried to interrupt you when you were presenting your introduction statement, ask them to wait just a minute and they will have the opportunity to share their input, ask questions, and share their perspective. You are sharing a perception or possibly something you witnessed and they deserve the opportunity to share their side of the story. Can we ever assume that we know everything? Certainly not!

• If the situation gets too loud or becomes uncomfortable, reschedule and tell them that you are allowing them more time to process the information and come back to develop a resolution. As a leader, you should remain in control of the conversation and not become a participant in a yelling match of any kind. The discussion is not about you and you have no reason to feel defensive. I do recommend that if you ever have an individual that tries to walk out, that you clarify to them that if they leave without completing the conversation or agreeing on a time to reconvene, you are interpretting it to mean that they are resigning from their position. This retains your control of the situation and provides for a way to easily handle employees who may not be well suited for the position based on their behavior. (Do seek legal council regarding your organization or state’s guidelines regarding any additional actions when needed.)

• While it is always a good idea to spend some time considering what direction the conversation might take as you prepare, you really can’t expect to follow an outline. You should remain in the conversation listening and asking questions so the individual feels heard. (Of course, you should really be listening in any case!) In extreme situations, you may decide it best to include a third-party in the room during the conversation. This person can be there as a witness and you can ask that person to make notes for follow up during the conversation. This person should not involve themselves in the discussion in anyway. The only way a person should be included in the conversation is if that person is the actual supervisor or manager over the individual you are speaking with or were a part of the situation being addressed. It is always a good idea to help train other leaders on how to handle situations by allowing them to do the some of the questioning or contribute at some point during the discussion while they observe the situation as it is addressed. Be sure to prepare ahead of time for what involvement they will have.

• There are typically two different outcomes that occur in situations where there are discussions regarding a concern. On our good days, consensus is arrived at by both parties for an improvement in the situation for forward movement. On our bad days, the individual is just not accepting feedback and either takes themselves out of their position with the organization or we are required to remove them from it.

• As an HR leader, I have always said that we should be side-by-side with our associates through everything possible to help them be successful until we just cannot support their actions any longer. We hired them and we owe them our expertise and guidance.

Reach out to Ellen for more any of the following or attend her upcoming “Dare to Lead” training in Dallas, Texas.

- training and development
- coaching
- human resource exam preparation or CEU’s
- mastermind groups
- Dare to Lead training and keynotes
- DiSC Assessments

Facts on the Need for Improved Communication in the Workplace

The Impact of Unclear Communication

According to a recent ATD (Association for Talent Development) poll, 83% of the respondents indicated that communication is the most important skill as related to manager success. They defined communication as “the exchange of information and feedback between managers and their direct reports.”

The Project Management Institute reported that for every $1 billion spent on projects, $75 million is put at risk by ineffective communication.

The Answer

Provide your team with a common communication language and develop their ability to utilize their styles to make a positive impact on team collaboration. Don’t let miscommunication, or the lack of, zap your bottom line. Given the right tools, your leaders will not only address the everyday discussions with more clarity — they will be prepared to have in-depth discussions around goals, coaching, and employee engagement.

A Team or a Dream

Is your team all there or do they seem disconnected? Workplace culture can be a challenge. Especially when there are so many varying views based on generational and cultural differences. For example, Generation Z represents about 25% of the overall population and will soon make a up a large part of the workforce. While they bring with them many positive attributes, they are also more stressed than previous generations. Not only that, but 77% of Gen Z adults report work being the cause of their stress as compared to 64% of adults overall.

The Answer

Educate your team about what makes them all important and develop shared visions of how they can work together to represent a common mission. Help them develop the five behaviors they need to be a cohesive team.

Developing Your Leaders

A split second — that’s how quickly many leaders have to react in today’s workplace. Providing leaders with coaching is key to the success of an organization whether it is part of on-boarding or a designated time period for development purposes.

The Answer

Prepare your leaders for good decision making with executive and leader coaching. Coaching also provides the opportunity to identify goals, learn from feedback, develop self-confidence, and promote effectiveness while working with a third party confident.

How can a DiSC training session help my team?

I often get asked what the typical DiSC training session looks like so here is a sample agenda for a team.

1. The organization leaders kicks off the meeting and introduces me.

2. I kick off with an activity that promotes connections and a lot of smiling.

3. My introduction goes here along with an overview of the schedule. (My part, anyway.)

4. This is where we dive into the DiSC assessment and walk through the details and activities and share learnings. A lot of “HOW DID IT DO THAT? All I did was answer a few questions!” during this part. The assessments ability to “read” a person is very amazing to most people.

5. After we cover understanding ourselves from an individual stand point, we talk about understanding others and the impact it can have on relationships and even customer service and sales.

6. Now more activities to put our learning into action.

7. At the end of the DiSC training, we work on action plans for development. What good is the learning if you don’t make a plan to use it? (I’m not letting anyone escape until they do this!)

8. If agreed upon with leadership, I follow the training with an opportunity for the team to do some actual team focused work or planning based on previous discussion on the topic and how the process can be developed into an activity. This allows for employee engagement and buy in as they develop the plan. This is the REAL way to get your team into action based on their new learning. No going back to the cubbies and letting everything be the same as before. Once the team understands each other is the time to begin new habits right away.

9. Follow up coaching sessions and plans to continue the learning are often included.

10. Wrap up for the session includes review and a closing like mindfulness practice or learning activity to tie the bow!

There you have it! I am in agreement with Nike, just do it!

Part 2 - The Most Difficult Part About Starting a New Business

A while back I posted an article about starting your own business and the challenges with that. I’m on Part Two of the process now so I thought I would share.

It’s done.

I gave my notice at my full time job and I’m pushing myself out on my own two feet! Such a bittersweet step. I really love what I do and the people. However, this will allow me to spend more time doing the parts I love most and that I have a real heart for. A few things to think about when you decide to stop dipping your toes in the water (of a new business) and dive right in.

• Are there any organizations that you should join before you leave your full time employer? Some organizations can only be joined while you work for a company that fits their criteria. There are also discounts for some, depending on where you work.

• Have you changed your email (or snail mail) address for any vendor or organization you receive at work?

• Does your organization use Outlook? Make sure you have the contact information in your phone for anyone you will want to reach out to. If you rely on the Outlook contact saved in your phone, those will likely go away after your access to the company email is removed. Be sure to also get the information for any appointments you may have added to the Outlook calendar.

• Did you save anything personal that you need to your work files? Make sure to get what you need and remove any personal information before you lose access.

• Think about what the best way to communicate your leaving to people you work with will be. Be mindful of what your employer may consider acceptable. If you are already using LinkedIn to make connections, you will be able to post to LI to share.

On a Personal Note

If you are a workaholic, baby boomer like me, or you just really like what you do, you need to think about preparing for this change. Consider the following examples.

Example 1: You work for an organization and have a work schedule of 8-5. You work in an office with others, have regular team meetings and work on projects together. You get stuck on some aspect of your job so you walk down the hall to Jane’s office for help. You have all of the supplies you need and you didn’t pay for them, the copier does front and back copies, you get mileage when you have to travel, there’s work gatherings from time to time for fun, gossip at the coffee bar… ooops, leave that last one out. You see the picture, there are a lot of positive aspects to working for someone else.

Example 2: You don’t have any set schedule. You are work for yourself, and your paycheck. You can sleep in til 9 if you like. If you are still wearing your PJ’s you may decide to sit on the coach to work. Don’t forget about ergonomics though. You don’t want to get a back injury because you don’t have any paid time off. If you need any supplies, you’ll be getting dressed to go to the store and get them. Don’t forget to track your mileage and keep your receipts, you’ll be paying the taxes. If you are home alone working, you can get a lot done but you may need to set an alarm to remind you to get up and go to the kitchen to get a drink. (Water, I meant water.) If you really like what you do, your significant other may be coming to your door at the end of the day saying, “Are you going to quit working today? It’s 8 o”clock.” Time blends and moves quickly when you love what you do. On the other hand, if you don’t like something that you have to do, tough. You will have to push through and get it done anyway.

The longer you have been working at the same place, the more time you should spend preparing for this transition. People will want to say that you are retiring. I don’t like that as it sounds more like an ending than a beginning. You should spend some time thinking about what the difference will look like for you after the transition. Many of us connect our worth with our title and position. We spend years of working for promotions and paychecks without “checking up” to see what is really going on and seeing what we are really here for. Connections, not job titles or positions.

Nuts and Bolts

I thought you might want to know where I am with some of the details for the business too. I am using a specific application for my coaching business that also allows for contracts, appointments and payments. It’s been a bit challenging to get the appointments option set up but it should consolidate appointments from my email calendar in one place. One of the first days I’m after completing my full time position will be spent making all of the parts of the booking, contracting, billing, payments work together and I will complete my listing of what I use for what. So much confusion! Don’t let this part get you though. You can always go old school with a simple booking application, word documents and email for contracts and communication, and paypal or your website software for payments. (Some sites also have the option to process payments.)

The marketing part is something I would recommend you get help with. There are some good books on marketing and contract people to help you with that too. Spend some time planning out blog or social media posts ahead of time. Be sure to consider what is going on with your business as you plan for the topics and advertisements.

In Summary

Do what makes you happy. Your success does not come from your works, it comes from the gratitude you feel about what you have and what you do.

Is there anything you would add to this?

Ellen will be creating training content for face to face and online delivery, coaching leaders for development, supporting individuals through career changes, and presenting the amazing Brené Brown’s work as keynotes and training to as many organizations, educational institutions and non-profits as possible. She loves to talk shop so reach out any time!

What is DiSC?

You’ve probably heard the acronym DiSC before but you may not realize that there is a difference in DiSC and DISC. DiSC with the lower case i comes from Wiley Publishers, a reputable publishing company who maintains research and updates on their assessments and support information. DiSC assessments allow teams and individuals to learn a common language that improves understanding, respect and the clarity of communication between different styles. Reach out for more information on this affordable and very proven tool to increase the productivity of your teams.

What did you think was the most difficult part about starting a new business?

I recently started my own consulting business to do more of what I love! Problem was, I spent more time thinking about how to get started than I did doing the work. I've put together some tips that I found helpful as I dug in and dug out!

Are you all in or just testing the water

This one is first on purpose. If you go into this venture with a "dipping yours toes" attitude, you will be thinking about costs more than efficiency. This will jeopardize your success and cause you to lose valuable time. I know, I can use this free software and that free software so why do I need to pay for one that does what I need? YOUR SANITY! I'm a real techie guru and I still couldn't keep up with what was where. Once I bit the bullet, did my research and signed on for what I really needed things went so much better. Actually paying for what you need also incentivizes you in two ways. One, you are more organized, and 2) you feel more commitment to your plan.

Along with selecting the software that fit with my consulting and coaching work, I also made sure I had any additional options that were not included with the main package of services I needed. These secondary needs like webinar tools are good to check out before you select you main software tool just to be sure that there aren't other options that cover you better. For example, rather than me paying for a coaching and consulting software, an online learning platform and a web conferencing software, I'm considering learning platforms that have a webinar option included. This will save quite a bit of money and not add another tool for me to keep up with.

What about the business

You may already have a great name and even a logo for your business but have you considered options for your best tax situation? If you haven't already spoken to a tax accountant or someone you trust for financial advice, you should check into your best option before the end of the year. For example, there are some tax and liability benefits with an LLC (limited liability company) that retroactively affect the whole year in a positive way.

Keeping up with it all

So, you've selected the software and tools that you need. How do you keep up with them? Even though I purchased the software that fits with my work, there are still other logins and tools that I will use. So, I created a document to use as a "Cliff Note" version. I have a screen shot of the icon, if there is one, the name of the software and a short description of what I use it for. Here is a partial listing.

• I use Quicken Books. I have to keep up with the login and notes about what I code where

• There is also a Quicken app for invoicing and payments. Not everyone pays that way so I'll have to keep notes so I don't have to figure it out again each time

• I'm not a fan of the expense receipt tracking aspect of QuickBooks so I use an app called Wave Receipts, another login

• Logins for email, online learning system/webinar access, Adobe for my marketing designs, associations I'm a member of, etc.

All of these are important to my work and I absolutely HATE having to reinvent the wheel if I haven't used something in a while! (It rates right there with Pinterest as a time sucker to me!)

Phone a friend

As you get started, don't hesitate to reach out to other people you know who have their own business. It may look simple for them now and I can bet you they each had their own battle getting started off and organized! Talking to someone else and getting input is another way you can find some positive energy as you get started. They will tell you that it is not easy and it is worth it!

I'm ready, how do I market

You know, this was kind of a "chicken or the egg" ordeal for me. I knew I needed to market what I do and at the same time I was thinking, "But what do I need to have ready when I do get clients? So, how am I going to get clients?" Whether its documents or tools you need, you have to time your advertising and your preparedness closely. If you don't already have a network of people who do similar work, you may want to consider attending training somewhere so you can meet like-minded people. Forming a network can help you if you end up with more clients than you can take on after you launch your marketing plan. Your first impressions will be important to your work.

What's next

TIME! Schedule time to sit alone in a quiet place and do your research. Search options for software to fit most of your needs and begin reaching out for more information. Make a list of all of the features you know you must have versus the ones that you would like to have. Be sure to keep a listing of the ones you review and mark the ones you feel are no's based on features or no's based on cost. After you review your choices, you may find that the ones you thought cost too much actually cover more of your needs for less money that two providers. (Remember the webinar software that I'm getting in an LMS?) Be sure to ask for a demo to see what it looks like for the administrator of the site and your client when they use it.

What did you think was the most difficult part about starting a new business? What did you find helpful?

Content contained in this post is not intended to and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Reach out to your accountant or attorney for guidance on decisions regarding your business.

What's your voice recording saying about you?

I apologize! If you are one of the people who have had to endure my voice recording to leave a message in the last year or so. Today is Saturday and I thought "Annnd, I think I'll do some clean up on my cell phone. What's that word "Greeting" there for?" Oh my gosh! When I played my voice message and it sounded terrible! There was background noise, it was way too casual, considering I also use this number for my work, and it sounded so dated with my choice of words. Certainly, I'm not the only one out there that needs to update their recording so I decided to share some tips. What to consider when you are recording a new voice message:

Who is the audience?

Will the people that call this number be expecting to reach you for work, personal communication or to leave detailed instructions or updates? In this age of texting more than talking, message options have become places to leave updates and lists of items, not just to have a conversation. Most people will not even leave a message and then expect you to see that they called and return that call when you are available.

Develop the message based on what the audience will benefit most from.

What do the callers need to know?

Now that you know who the audience is, what do they need to know?

• If you are using the device for personal, I'm not sure I would tell everyone you are out of town! You can say that you won't have access to return calls until a specified date in a way that doesn't indicate that the house is ready for raiding.

• If your audience is primarily work related, consider the terminology you use and what will help the caller to get the best customer service. (Major part of any business, right?) Is there someone else they can contact? Will there be a specific day you will be returning calls? If you use specific dates in your message, you must update the recording just like you do (You do, don't you?) your email out of office message. Pet peeve alert!

If you use real time specifics in your voice message, by all means update them when they change!

• If you are using the messages for more specific needs related to business, consider what information the caller needs to leave for you. If there is order or delivery information, be sure to clarify exactly what you need and remind them to leave a call back number in case there are questions. And, if you are someone who does not check your voice mails often (Or ever!) leave a message to tell the caller you prefer to receive a text.

Leave specific instructions in your message about what the caller should tell you in their recording.

What is the best way to make the recording?

So now that you know what you need to say on your recording.

• Don't read it! Practice your message and make bullet points for what you need to include. If you read your message, it will not sound like the real you. The caller picked up a phone to call and hear you, not the fake you. (This is a true courtesy now when texting is so relied upon.) You should say your message just like you are talking to a person face to face. (If you'd like more details on the benefits of authenticity, check out any of Brene Brown's content.)

• Location, location, location! Find a place with little background noise and no echo. When I listened to my "before" voice message, it sounded like a refrigerator running in the background! Hmmm, I wonder if I was in the kitchen? This time, I used a headset with my phone and walked into a small closet. This reduced the static and the echo.

• Play back your message to hear it before you decide that you're done. Did you wait too long to start talking? Did you talk too fast? Are you sending the message that you want to?

Don't read your recording message. Make it sound like the real you.