Tag Archives: ILSHRM

When HR is kicked to the Curb

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I can’t tell you how many emails, DM’s, Facebook Messages and LinkedIn messages I get from folks that are looking for work. And I don’t mind at all.

I love connecting folks with other people who are looking for prime candidates online and looking for referrals and recommendations from people they trust. That’s the new way of doing it.

With every new job posting it seems there are hundreds applying for that same position which can be very frustrating and overwhelming to someone in our current job market.

Even if you’ve gone to college and received a PHR, SPHR, GPHR or GOPHER (okay, I made this last one up) and have worked in your field of expertise for hump-teen-million years – you are not exempt from being laid off. It’s a fact!

It’s interesting and alarming that so many HR and Recruiter friends are the ones contacting me lately with the awful news of them finding themselves being laid off, canned, booted out of their long-term positions and some of them are frantic. I would be the same.

I will say it again folks, nothing is EVER a sure thing.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’ve found yourself in this position and are in job-search mode:

  • Network: Try and stay connected online and off. You may just connect to the right person that can make that introduction to a key connection that will help you get that next gig.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach out to your connections and let them know (like folks are doing with me – and that’s cool). Sometimes you just have to open that mouth (or email) and let others know your business. We all need support. And again, your connections may be key in helping you get that next opportunity.
  • Keep your certifications up to date. Go to conferences and sit through all the boring sessions if you have to.
  • Continue to pour any and every kind of knowledge in the ole brain. And no, you don’t already don’t everything there is to know. If nothing else, it will help you maintain your sanity. (Note: Try to refrain from all the Alien shows. You don’t want to mention those in your next interview)

It hurts my heart when I receive an email from a friend (especially a smart and savvy HR friend) telling me they were just let go. I immediately go into a mode where I’m looking through all my connections to see who I can connect them with that can help, wracking my brain for a job posting I’ve seen across the Webs that have been shared by my recruiter friends and struggling to try and see how I can help them in their search.

As I stated yesterday on a status update “It takes a Village.” But if you haven’t invested time in building that Village before you need it I just don’t see how you are going to survive this new way of the social job search incorporated into your strategy.

Being able to connect and pull from those said Villagers is key in getting ahead in your job search in today’s social savvy marketplace.

For more info on how to develop social into your job search strategy check out Discovering Social’s “Defining your Personal Brand.”

#FF @CarolynMWalsh – Outstanding HR Leader in Transition

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Hello friends. Hope this Friday is being good to you. I’ve wanted to share this special #Follow Friday edition for a few weeks now and have finally gotten around to it.

I always love highlighting fellow Human Resource professionals whether they are TrenchHR folk, Consultants, or in transition and looking for that next opportunity to share their fabulous skills and knowledge. Today is no exception with one of favorites who not only lives 20 minutes from me, has a fabulous pedigree (I mean that with all due respect) but is also a friend.

Who is this famous person? I’m glad you asked.

Carolyn not only is a vital member of our local HR Roundtable but has become a part of our Discovering Social team helping Job Seekers in their job search strategy. She brings so many things to the table that make for such a complement to our team.

She tells us in her own words that she’s a strategic, versatile Human Resources Professional who has taken the road less traveled to HR and has acquired early management trainee rotations and management experience in Accounting and Operations.

She has a background in organization effectiveness and responsibilities for HR strategy, performance management, employee relations, compensation and benefits, recruiting and training. She has key insight into  integrating talent management processes to move business strategy forward, and on a tactical level consulting with leaders to bring those processes to life on a daily basis. She makes it happen, ya’ll.

When she steps away from the HR highway, you’ll find her conducting one on one coaching sessions at a local career center, consulting with nonprofits, or delivering job search training for Illinois Worknet clients.

Carolyn was also a key volunteer for Illinois SHRM this last year in that she helped me create the first ever mobile conference app, sharing countless hours of her time assisting me with not only the app, but anything else I needed her to do. She is always willing to help when asked. I appreciate that about her and she always does what she says she will do. Very thorough.

Her Specialties include:

HR Strategy & Planning, Talent Management, Organization Effectiveness, Change Management, Project Management, Employee Relations, Performance Management

Check out her certifications (I bow down)

Certified in MBTI, DISC, Strong, Firo-B and Rowe Career Assement Inventories; Course work toward Six Sigma Greenbelt and CCP

I don’t even know what some of those mean and yet I’m totally impressed :)

The bottom line

So here’s the thing. Carolyn is not only in transition at the present, but is expanding her brand on social media and YOU need to connect with her. Not only cause she’s one.smart.cookie. and a great person, but to see how you can help her with a possible career fit within your network for her next career move. I know you can do it – you are all so well connected and always willing to help a brother (sister) out.

So connect with her HERE > @CarolynMWalsh (the Twitters), LinkedIn.

Let’s give her a warm, online welcome. Shall we?

Photo Credit: BusinessBraggerBlog

My take-aways from #ILSHRM12 – It’s a wrap!

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I’ve not been putting this post off because I didn’t get anything out of ILSHRM12, I simply have been exhausted, feeling ill, and trying to gather my thoughts so I make sense.

My social media friends were so gracious to hurry up and share their thoughts on the conference and I truly appreciate all they did to make it such a spectacular event. You can find a conglomeration of those here and here!

I enjoyed hearing Simon T. Bailey for the first time who encouraged us to “Be Brilliant” and of course told us all we “Were Dancers.” I swear I laughed every time he laughed. It was contagious. I always enjoy sitting in on my friends Joe Gerstandt and Jason Lauritsen with their fabuloso TalentAnarchy keynote as they always drive me to tears and regain the passion for what I do. They are experts in that, in fact. Oh, and thanks for your new book “Social Gravity.” I encourage you all to GET IT and read.

It was my first time hearing Cy Wakeman speak and let me tell you, I was impressed. I totally wish I could do a presentation like she pulled off, no notes, no crowded powerpoint presentations – simple and effective. Here’s a little video I took of her keynote discussing Drama -

This year was the first year ILSHRM set up a Social Media Lab for attendees to drop in and learn more about utilizing social media in their everyday work and personal lives. Our friends from Canadian Geoff Webb and Jeff Waldman and crew were so great to come and set up shop. They are the experts over at SocialHR.biz. Check em -

One of the sessions “The Billion Dollar Employee Crisis” by my friend and former business partner, Sue Salach, was great. I’m passionate about this topic of Caregivers in the Workplace, and unfortunately, folks didn’t flock to it. I think it’s something we don’t want to think about, yet it is costing companies billions in lost productivity. She wrote a wrap-up post on the session over on her blog The Working Caregiver. You need to check it.

Our awesome State Conference Director John Jorgensen, was so great to allow me to interview him for a few moments at the conference -

And finally, our friends at Dovetail Software sponsored the after hours Tweet up where I caught this great footage of a few HR pros getting down. I love this video :)

If you’d like to see more videos pre and post conference, hang out a little on my Youtube Channel. There’s lots more on this years fabulous conference.

That’s a wrap, folks!

Special Props:

Special thanks to Charlie Judy (@HRFishbowl) our host and emcee for the conference, our sponsors BC/BS of Illinois, Dovetail Software and cfactorWorks – who sponsored our mobile app. Also, a personal thank you to Carolyn Walsh, who was so great in helping me get that mobile app together. Thank you all.

Share the love – New HR Blogger – HR Roots

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I always love helping other fellow bloggers and especially those within the HR sphere.

I recently connected with a fairly new HR blogger on Twitter and found out she is actually part of our Illinois SHRM and fellow Midwesterner. I’m referring to Nicole Och (of HR Roots) and I’m looking forward to meeting up with her at ILSHRM12 in a couple of weeks.

I love that Nicole writes about social business and how to incorporate from a newly Human Resource point of view, and she really gives great advice on getting started in social media and how to connect to others online. In fact, her Twitter Bio reads:

HR Professional with a passion for the use of Social Media in Business. It’s not a fad, it’s a way of life! 

And her tagline on HR Roots says “Cultivating and Nourishing the Garden of HR” - and she truly does. She gets social and is not only writing great content but engaging with her connections. That’s what I love about her. She gets what it’s like to be a social newbie and she targets her message to those are just getting started. So many of us have forgotten those folks and I give her kudos for keeping it simple and for having a passion to help those who are experiencing the same things we’ve all experienced in our social media beginnings.

Make sure to connect with Nicole and show her some love online and off. Have her guest post for you and make sure you get a chance to meet her IRL at the upcoming ILSHRM12 conference. In fact, make a point to do so. Oh, and she’s always welcome to guest post here at the Cafe.

About Nicole:

Nicole Ochenduski, PHR, is a Human Resources Professional, Speaker, and Trainer with a passion for the use of social media in the workplace.  The sole purpose of this blog is to help folks make intentional connections both online and IRL (in real life!).  Everyone was a newbie at one time in our lives, now it’s time to pay it forward!

You can connect with her on:
LinkedIn : www.LinkedIn.com/in/nicoleoch
Twitter: www.twitter.com/nicoleoch

#FollowFriday – HRRemix – Melissa Fairman

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I have been in the video room all week and I’m exhausted, to say the least! But it’s all good. I was able to interview some amazing folks like Craig Fisher, Crystal Miller, Sue Salach and my friend and HR Blogger Melissa Fairman.

Oh, and check out my latest venture on Spreecast where I’ve hosted some really cool interviews chatting up #ILSHRM12.

Here’s the interview:

Sweet Melissa

While on the Twitter one day, I noticed a post from my pal Chris Fields that said something to the tune of “#FF @HRRemix and make a girl feel special.” So, because I totally respect my friend’s opinion and anyone that he says to #FF usually makes sense. That’s the way connections are made.

After connecting with Melissa and digging around a little over at her blog, engaging with her on the Twitter and connecting on Facebook, I asked her if she would write a guest post for the Cafe and wrote this post “Networking for a Job: Virtual or IRL?” and we have remained connected ever since.

Background

Melissa has worked in HR for over five years either as a TMS analyst, a generalist, recruiting and HR project work;  just enough to make her dangerous! She currently works as a HR Generalist for a national company that sells and distributes insulation and other construction materials.

Oh, and she’s super smart and has an MBA with an HR concentration from Baldwin Wallace College and holds the PHRcertification from the HRCI institute.

Make this chick feel welcome and #FF. (Don’t forget to watch the video – you’ll find out a few more things I kept a secret)

Aloha, friends!

Connect with Melissa

Blog: HRRemix, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook

#Follow Friday – Buzz Rooney, LIVE and in Person!

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I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with Buzz Rooney this week and talk a little about her “Coming Out” (so to speak), about her blog and her online journey, and about some really cool HR Conferences (including ILSHRM12). Check it out!

Connect with Buzz Rooney: Blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+

To Blog or not to Blog; That is the question

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Blogging has been around for awhile now, and still – companies are trying to decide if they need to get in on the action. I get asked the question all the time, “How is blogging going to help me and my business? It seems like a waste of time.”

Sitting down with clients and finding out their objectives on using Social Media and / or blogging, and developing a strategy can help determine whether or not you even need to participate in the the blogisphere .

Here are a few considerations from Jeff Bullas to help in your decision process:

  1. It helps your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as Google loves new content!
  2. You can engage and understand your customers better.
  3. You are seen as an expert in your field, a ” Thought Leader”
  4. Great new content gives people a reason to keep coming back to your site.
  5. Blogs are a much more trusted source than companies press releases and official company PR.
  6. It moves customers to a conversion point where enough trust is created for people to take the next step and buy.
  7. By writing you are learning.

Note: Most importantly it helps you improve your rank on search engines and assists in getting found, when people enter those important key words in Google. (That’s also another reason to be on Google+ since it’s owned by Google)

Here is a short video I put together on a few blogging tips.

If you have any more questions in relation to blogging or social media, post them below, or send them to me. I don’t mind at’tall.

#Follow Friday – Video with Geoff Webb and Jeff Waldman – #WATCHTHIS

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Today I am honored to share my video interview with Geoff Webb (Radical Events) and Jeff Waldman (SocialHR). We discuss what Radical Events, Social HR and Social HR Camps, and bringing all that to ILSHRM12.

Enjoy and have a tremendous weekend, my friends.

Connect with Geoff Webb: Twitter, Website, LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook

Connect with Jeff Waldman:Twitter, Website, LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook

Landing a job at LegoLand

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Taking a break from my #Follow Friday videos this week.

Last week, I watched Rock Center with Brian Williams where he showcased “Master Model Builder at LegoLand” (aka Lego Certified Professsional) and the LegoLand Interview process. I found it fascinating.

LegoLand, where one never has to grow up :)

For more on what it’s like to work at LegoLand WATCHTHIS.

Appreciating the little guy

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Over most weekends one of my favorite things to do is chill out in front of the tube and watch The Food Network or The Cooking Channel. It is relaxing to me, makes me really hungry and inspires me – all at the same time.

One show I always try to catch is “Chuck’s Day Off” on the Cooking Channel. Chuck Hughes has such passion for what he does. Read more about him here. He’s Canadian, has his own restaurant and cooking show, and has bacon tattooed on his arm. (I’m all about bacon)

One thing I love that he does on this show is what he does on his day off. What’s that, you ask?  He cooks for someone – whether it’s the butcher down the street where he buys his meat to the fishermen that bring in the fresh catch of the day. How awesome it that? It’s his way of showing his appreciation for the “little guy” that keeps his business going.

This past April 1 show was titled “The Linen Guy.” Because Chuck serves his food on fine linens – he gave some astronomical number of how many they go through a day – he has “the linen guy” come by, pick up the linens, bring them back all clean and folded. I would say that was a much needed service.

So here’s what Chuck decided to do for this particular show. He decides to prepare a meal for this guy, his wife and two daughters.  BOOM! Here is the episode.

Not only did the linen guy feel appreciated for his day-to-day (I’m sure a drudgery of a job) service, but his family was able to get in on the action. They were in heaven. This guy prepared them their favorite foods, served them and honored them for their service.

Now THAT’s how you appreciate those with whom you are in contact on a daily basis. This made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

We can all learn a lesson from this. Right? We all need to feel appreciated every now and then.