{Women of HR Unwrapped} Let’s Stop Playing it So Safe
We are unwrapping some posts from the Women of HR archives for you this holiday season. Relax, enjoy and let us know if there is a favorite of yours you’d like to see unwrapped and run again.
We are unwrapping some posts from the Women of HR archives for you this holiday season. Relax, enjoy and let us know if there is a favorite of yours you’d like to see unwrapped and run again.
I started working in Human Resources a bit by accident. One of my first tasks was to hire an entry-level HR Assistant for our department.
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 people from the pile.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. Well, I am a people person. And despite her advice, I have remained one because I think HR is the perfect place for people who like people.
One of my pet peeves is when we HR pros hide behind our mothers’ skirts and we’re seen as administrators, guardians, hall monitors, pencil pushers, police. Colleagues would take us much more seriously–and, heck, like us more–if we would grow some cojones and act boldly based on our skill, knowledge, values and principles, rather than falling back on policies, procedures and regulations..
I am a true believer that HR should always report to the President or the most senior level in the company and I will work hard to make sure that this is where I report. It comes down to people, access, money and action.