I started working in Human Resources a bit by accident.

As a member of the IT department, I was teaching software training for employees at our firm. Over time, I took on more of the “soft skills” training classes, and my role in new employee orientation grew. I became close to the HR Director as I shared my impressions of the new hires and made predictions about who would be a superstar, and who wouldn't make it past the first week. When a new HR Manager position opened up, the HR Director recommended I apply for it. I got the job, moved into HR and never looked back.

One of my first tasks was to hire an entry-level HR Assistant for our department. I had a senior recruiter with over 20 years’ experience helping me, and she taught me how to write the job description, told me about the skills and abilities we were looking for, and generally guided me through the entire process. I posted the position and eagerly awaited responses.

Once I had a good stack of resumes and cover letters, I took them to the senior recruiter and asked for her assistance in selecting candidates to interview. She went through the stack in about 2 minutes, ruthlessly culling anyone from the pile who had a typo or misspelling in their resume or cover letter. I didn't understand why she removed some of the people who looked like great candidates to me. I asked her what criteria she was using to separate the Yeses from the Nos.

“Oh,” she said. “I get rid of anyone who says they like people or they’re a people person. Because after working in HR for twenty years, I can tell you, this job will make you hate people. And I don’t want to do that to anyone.”

I was shocked. And confused. After all, I’m one of those who had said I wanted to be in HR because “I’m a people person.” Obviously she hadn't been involved in recruiting for my position!

Mos

t of all, I was disappointed. She was someone I admired and thought would be an excellent mentor for me. But her jaded attitude put a bad taste in my mouth and I vowed not to end up like her.

Fast forward 15 years.

At times, layoffs, a long recession, and new technological challenges have taken their toll on me. Especially in my previous role as a hiring manager, and my current role as a career coach, I struggle when the number of bright, talented people outweigh the available positions. I become jaded when management says “Do we have to do that? After all, they’re lucky to have a job.” And when I hear about people struggling economically with unemployment and see the impact it has on everyone in the family, part of me wishes I was back in a classroom, teaching someone how to format a document and create a spreadsheet.

But I’m not. Because I am a people person. And despite my mentor’s advice, I have remained one because I think HR is the perfect place for people who like people.

People are a never-ending, ongoing puzzle. Figuring out why they do what they do will always fascinate me. And if people behaved rationally, calmly, and logically all of the time, well, I am guessing HR wouldn't be needed very much, and I’d be out of a job.

Why did you get into the HR profession? Why do you stay?

Photo credit: iStockphoto

About the author: For 15+ years, Andrea Ballard, SPHR, has brought a unique, common sense perspective to the business of HR. A former HR Director and Training Manager, she advises companies on how to design/implement flexible work life programs to attract/retain top talent. A certified coach, she helps women create a balance between motherhood & career. She is the owner of Expecting Change, LLC,  blogs at Working Mother and is on Twitter as @andreaballard.

This first week of the new year we are featuring some of our tops posts on Women of HR. Enjoy!

So often, when people vent their frustration about the boss, or the C-suite, I hear about how hard they work, how much they give, and how much they do not feel they are appreciated by those they work for. The gender factor accentuates it further because research confirms the male and female brains process what was said in emotionally different ways.

If you want to deal with it, read on.

The reality is I am learning that communication is a key factor in getting to the next level – especially if you want leadership to understand how you and your team are performing.  And, you have a nano-second to spit it out for your audience in a way that they understand it. I find, all too often, that people are communicating their information from their own point of view to the audience and that is a career limiting and fatal error.

If you want to move up into management, or move into a senior leadership role, here is some advice on evaluating your style to ensure it is working for, and not against, you:

1. Become self aware of your communication style and work on improving it (no one is perfect on this topic)
2. Seek out people you trust before your next presentation and preview it to assure your are speaking to the audience’s need versus your own (Coaches are everywhere and happy to help – have you asked?)
3. Read a book or two on the topic from some of the great thought leaders of our time. Two that I recommend are The Next Level: What Insiders Know about Executive Success  and The Power of Framing: Creating the Language of Leadership. 

The Next Level is a great handbook to have around. It’s a reference book with real-life stories that any manager or rising executive could relate to and I find myself referring back to it often. The main point of the book is to remind high achievers that what got you here is not what will get you to the next level. It identifies what behaviors and capabilities you need to shed, and what skills you need to pick up to perform well at the next level.

The Power of Framing is about communication, communication styles and how to hone in and frame up your message to speak to the audience’s need. It does an excellent job of bringing you through the dynamic of learning why that aspect of communication at an executive level (or really any level) is so important.

These are a few suggestions that have worked for me.

How about you? What are you doing to improve your communication style to get ready for the next level?

This holiday week we are featuring some of our top posts at Women of HR. Enjoy!

Is there really a glass ceiling?

I don’t buy it.

But I could be wrong.

I know there are more men in leadership positions than women.  I know there are industries where men have the advantage.  And I’ve worked with (and for) chauvinists.  But I just don’t believe there is a conspiracy to keep women from advancing.

A glass ceiling implies women are being kept down rather than failing to rise.  I think, barring some regrettable instances of genuine discrimination that undoubtedly occur, it’s much more subtle than that.

• Women communicate differently. We schmooze, we dissect, and we show our emotions.  How many men do you know who do that?  OK, now how many men do you know who do that who also run a company?
• Women try to avoid problems. Unfortunately for women who think anticipating problems is a valued business skill, most men hate being nagged about what might happen and prefer to deal with problems as they arise.
• Women don’t say what they want. We expect men to just know.  Men never just know, you have to tell them, and for best results look them in the eye and say it like a man.
• Women think it’s about the work. It’s not.  Some work needs to get done but business is really about power and relationships.  It’s not about that fabulous report you stayed up all night writing so don’t expect to get promoted over it.
• Women take things personally. I can’t prove women got short changed on the shrug-it-off-and-move-on chromosome but I will say that it’s hard to move forward when you’re always looking back.
• Women scare men. Thanks to sexual harassment laws, your boss probably doesn’t even want to have lunch with you. It isn’t personal, just wimpy.
• Women have children. This isn’t a criticism, I have three.  Well, almost.  But unless you pass on maternity leave and have someone else raise your kids, they take you away – both mentally and physically – from the corporate action.

Here’s the twist:  in many ways, feminine work styles are actually better for the business and if it were up to me working moms would rule the world.  But that’s not the point.  The point is that when it comes to career advancement in a male-dominated business climate, there are implicit rules of engagement:

If you’re good at what you do, are confident and don’t dress like a floozy, make sure to be ‘seen’, put your personal life on hold, ruthlessly take jobs that look good on your resume even if you hate them, suck up to your boss, politely but firmly refuse to bring him coffee, be available for ridiculous and unnecessary meetings at 3AM and make it perfectly clear you expect to be rewarded or you’ll leave - you too can succeed in a man’s world even if you don’t play a team sport.

Don’t agree?  That’s OK.  But take a good, hard look at the successful men and women you know.

For the most part you’ll find they pick their battles, have a wide social network, know exactly what they want, can articulate it without getting misty eyed and either have no children or a professional nanny.  Most importantly, they don’t judge the rules.  They follow them or they don’t and they leave and try something new. They take careers setbacks seriously but never personally.

And they pass through that glass ceiling like it’s not even there.

I am writing this as I whiz through Germany on a high speed train watching the lovely scenery while I type. It’s a skill I learned as a kids doing data entry and it comes in handy when I want to type while enjoying the countryside view.

Why do I tell you this, other than bragging that I have fun job? It’s because I have come a long way, baby, from the hick Midwest kid I grew up as. Some will still tell you I am hick and I am OK with that.

Why do I tell you this, other than to knock off any images of my being a jet setter? It’s because I got here by constantly stretching outside my comfort zone.

Sitting in your comfort zone is like staying in your pajamas all day, you won’t get asked to dance and passed a glass of Champagne unless your spouse has a great sense of humor and romance.

If you are not getting butterflies on a regular basis about something you are challenged to do, then you are not likely growing. If you are not having to Google how to get something done, from how to dial internationally to how to locate the highest zip line launching point in the state, then your Internet access may need to be taken away because you are just not trying hard enough. If you are not forced to seek experts, mentors, and an occasional masseuse then your mountain may not be steep enough to be worth climbing.

I learned how to sell software and hire people internationally. I started and sold a business. I hired and fired people far smarter than me. The first (and sometimes second and third) time I had done these things they were not totally comfortable. None of them were easy and even repeatedly executing them didn’t make them comfortable.

And that is what gives me a buzz.

When I come up with an idea the negotiating attorney never even thought of, I fist pump during the conference call. When I figured out the European train system without speaking the languages, I smiled really big and I can still remember those early trips and sense of accomplishments.

What are you scared of? Maybe you should go right now and tackle that activity. Don’t live your life in your ‘pajamas’. That’s too comfortable and even Hugh dons a suit regularly.

International note: If you don’t have your passport (then I would bet $500.00 you are an American) and you MUST go right now to Travel.State.Gov, fill out the form and get it done. No worries – you have bigger concerns then finishing this blog if you don’t have your passport yet.  Ditch me and get on with the important stuff.  Get the passport and start planning that international trip. You have a comfort zone you really need to step out of!

A quick Google search nets dozens of lists with titles like “Nine Essential HR Skills.”

I’ve seen these lists debated from time to time and I don’t disagree that any of the of the frequently listed qualities are important. How can you argue with ethics, business knowledge, communication, organization and integrity? But most of the lists I see don’t include a number of traits that, after 15 years in HR, seem to me to be integral to an HR professional’s long-term staying power (not to mention mental and emotional health):

Optimism – Resilience – Persistence – Courage – Creativity

Some people work at such fabulous organizations where these qualities are less crucial. But the truth is that in many HR positions, in addition to witnessing fabulous successes within your organization, you encounter the underbelly or the dark side. You see candidates lying about their criminal past, employees faking injuries, people trying to get by doing the least amount possible, supervisors alienating their employees or turning a blind eye to employment laws, managers failing to manage and leaders failing to lead. And you are faced with an almost endless stream of ethical dilemmas and conundrums.

I work at a good company with an amazing CEO, yet I have to say that working in HR in my industry is not for the faint of heart. We’re a nonprofit faced with plenty of challenges. We employ mostly hourly workers, almost half of whom are first or second generation immigrants. They work around the clock at remote sites with a supervisor rarely present. Their work is important but not paid well by society. HR is not easy in this setting.

Within your own industry, you undoubtedly encounter different challenges and quirks. Regardless of your setting, if you work in HR, it helps to have:

Optimism. Remember what is good and right within your organization when things go wrong; 10% of people are probably causing 90% of your problems. Focusing too much on the 10% is a glass-half-full approach that may lead to you giving up, leaving your position or even abandoning HR.

Resilience. Have sufficient strength and flexibility to bounce back after disappointments and set-backs.

Persistence. Do not give up easily; when one thing doesn’t work, try 6 or 8 or 90 other things and don’t stop trying until you find something that does work.

Courage. It’s one thing to be ethical yet it’s another to speak up when you know something’s not right or when a response that is convenient in the short-run doesn’t serve the long-term interests of your business.

Creativity. Figure out how you’re going to address or communicate your concern or position without alienating the very people whose cooperation you need to succeed. Some may call this influence, and that’s certainly involved, but I’m thinking more of the mental processes like brainstorming, ingenuity, IQ and EQ.

There are a lot of qualities you must have or attain if you want to succeed in HR. But for long term staying power, you may need a few more. You need to have the drive to persist and the ability to maintain hope and creativity despite adversity and downright disillusionment.

I know you won’t all agree with my list 1o0%, so I’m interested to hear your rundown of the top essential HR skills.

photo by artfulblogger

Last week, I taught a half dozen workshops for a client on how to succeed at work. In doing research, I came across a survey entitled “Unwritten Rules: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt Your Career.”

According to the authors, Laura Sabattini and Sarah Dinolfo:

“Building professional relationships, whether through networks and affinity groups or with mentors, supervisors, and other individuals who can share knowledge emerged as particularly important. Effective communication and defining career goals were also deemed important to success. Respondents sometimes learned about important career rules by trial and error or simple observations, but many were proactive in asking colleagues and supervisors for information to understand how things work in their organization. Respondents also said that they wished they had known that ‘just’ working hard is not enough to succeed or that they had been more aware of organizational politics and about the advantages of self-promotion.”

I asked the audience to brainstorm who in their organizations they think are highly successful, to say why they are successful, and to give examples of what these stars do and the skills they have. Not surprisingly, the skills they came up with were in line with what the survey said.

According to participants, successful people network with others, plan to exceed expectations, do what they say they will do and take initiative. In addition, my client, a nonprofit organization, said that successful people in their organization are passionate about what they do.

In collaboration with the leaders of the organization, I designed a checklist of skills that are keys to success and grouped the skills under 4 categories; 2 categories were technical skills unique to this organization and the other 2 categories, professional development and professionalism, were more generic.

When the participants complete a self assessment on the checklist, the same 3 skills came up in every group as areas to work on. The 3 skills fell under the category, professional development: seek feedback from a variety of sources, accept constructive criticism in a constructive manner and  implement and evaluate the impact of new professional ideas at work. We then spent some time brainstorming how they could develop or strengthen these skills.

The professional development skills I taught are not unique to my client. According to Michael M. Lombardo and Robert W. Eichinger, authors of For Your Improvement, career stallers and stoppers include Blocked Personal Learner (doesn’t seek input and uses few learning tactics) and Defensiveness (is not open to criticism).

I am curious. What are the top professional development skills you need to work on? What is stopping you from taking these on or what is driving you to do so? And, what cool things are you doing to develop these skills in yourself?

Photo credit iStockphoto.com