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Be smarter than your competition
Back in the stone age when I actually used to have a weekly newspaper subscription, I made it a point to read the Help Wanted ads every week. I didn’t do this because I was engaged in a never ending job search. I did it because it was a really simple way to stay abreast of the changing trends in the local job market and to see what the competition was doing in regards to pay, benefits, and hiring requirements.
Like so many other things, the Internet has changed the way I approach this review.
I no longer subscribe to a weekly newspaper. I read all my news on web sites or via my Android phone. If I need to do any kind of market research on jobs or competition, I simply search via Google, or jump onto any of the bazillion job boards out there to obtain the information I need. I also set up some short cuts to help so that I can maintain at least a general knowledge base of the employment trends in my local community.
For example, I get several emails every weekend via Monster telling me about the various jobs that are open and being advertised on the job board in Florida. I do this by setting up searches for several job categories, including Human Resources and having them mailed to me. It takes me 15 minutes a week to review them. I can do it whenever I want, and I don’t have to worry about recycling the newspaper.
This is one of my personal ways of being green! This is also an easy tip for any manager to adopt, whether they are in HR or not.
Experts in Everything
As I was reading the Monster “HR Help Wanted” email this morning. I ran across the following ad. (This is not a paid post.) Take a look at the wide variety of skills that they are asking for in this job. Check out the various links if you want to know more about a specific topic. See you after the jump!
Faneuil is looking to fill the following position in Orlando, Florida.
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Policies – develop compliance policies and guidelines and ensure consistent application. Serve as the lead in writing and updating all HR policies and ensure that policies are updated.
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Oversees Worker’s Compensation
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Establishes effective manpower planning, recruitment and staffing strategies
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Oversees unemployment claim management
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Ensures that EEOC, ERISA, DOL and related compliance matters are handled appropriately. Ensures that HR policies and practices conform to governmental guidelines.
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Wage & Hour Laws – serve as company expert to provide direction on proper wages and employee classifications to comply with State and Federal laws
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Assist and advise company managers on Human Resources Issues
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Travel required up to 15%
- Assist with other projects and responsibilities as needed
That is a helluva lot of different skill areas for one work function to be experienced in, let alone to be considered an expert in on a singular basis. The next time you sit at the table and look at the people working in functions like Finance, IT, and QC, you should mentally stick out your tongue at them and go “Neener -neener-neener”, knowing that you understand and deal with many more complex disciplines and issues than they do.
Smile that secret smile, for you are the Smartest Person in the room!
Just don’t let it go to your head!
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Another insightful and thought-provoking post, Michael, well done! I would add as a side note that HR also has the least invested in any one area of the business, giving them the best perspective to provide objective input ans analysis. Fundamentally, their focus is on efficiencies in time and money, with regard to maintaining (or developing) an engaged and productive workforce. I think it’s time for more HR leaders to assert themselves into the role of business leaders.
Twitter: MikeVanDervort
November 8, 2009 at 10:21 am
@JasonCBlais
Good to hear from you, my friend! I appreciate the excellent additional comments. Do you think that HR being spread so broadly is part of the perception problem that some people have with HR? We aren’t “Experts” by the definition of other functions, or something like that?
Interesting question- I had never thought of it in that light before. I have to believe you must be on to something there, though, as it’s truly difficult to put all of the competencies into any one “expert” box. It’s not just finance, nor is it just organizational development, legal compliance, or simply purchasing or negotiation. It’s almost as if you are “business systems experts”. Unfortunately, because of the broad reach, I don’t think any one person can feel 100% (or even 80% for that matter) comfortable at being viewed as the expert in all related functions. This is why for smaller companies with fewer than 5 or 6 dedicated HR staff, there simply isn’t enough intellectual capital to invest into become subject matter experts- as your staff must also perform the day-to-day tasks that keep the company rolling.
Let me ask you, should a Director/VP of HR focus on being a subject matter expert in one specific area, so that they can build their reputation internally via that one area, and then hire and develop other experts within their department, or is it better for that person to have a cursory knowledge of all areas? (if the former, which area do you think should be a main focus?).
Deep thoughts by @MikeVanDervort: HR people are the smartest people in the room http://toast.tw/10068t http://myloc.me/1oT1s
@JasonCBlais thanks for RT (and a timesaving social media tip as well!) http://bit.ly/3II75H
@MikeVanDervort Alright Michael, now you've got me thinking! http://bit.ly/3II75H
Twitter: MikeVanDervort
November 8, 2009 at 10:37 am
One of the points you raised is true. Many of the specialized areas of expertise are not scalable to a level that would support a functional expert for every area. Therefore, I think that HR as a profession dictates that most practitioners need to develop at least a cursory knowledge of all (or as many as possible) areas.
It is only larger companies that could sustain a viable function of a specialized area such as organizational development, for example.
RT @JasonCBlais: @MikeVanDervort Alright Michael, now you've got me thinking! http://bit.ly/3II75H (good conversation!)
[New Post at The Human Race Horses] HR people are the smartest people in the room http://www.thehumanracehorses.com/2009/1...
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Deep thoughts by @MikeVanDervort: HR people are the smartest people in the room http://toast.tw/10068t http://myloc.me/1oT1s
RT @hopelee66: Deep thoughts by @MikeVanDervort: HR people are the smartest people in the room http://toast.tw/10068t http://myloc.me/1oT1s
One of my weekend posts: HR people are the smartest people in the room http://bit.ly/3II75H #hr #shrm #greatHR
RT @MikeVanDervort: One of my weekend posts: HR people are the smartest people in the room http://bit.ly/3II75H #hr #shrm #greatHR
HR people are the smartest people in the room http://bit.ly/3II75H #hr #shrm #greatHR RT @MikeVanDervort
RT @MikeVanDervort HR people are the smartest people in the room http://bit.ly/3MnmLD