ILSHRM Looking for a New D & I Director

We’re hiring!  Yep at Illinois SHRM we have an opening.  Let me tell you a bit about the job.  It pays nothing and there are no hard dollar employee benefits.  We will ask that you perform at very high level bringing the latest thinking and creativity to a difficult job.   Sometimes it involves long hours. Still interested?

Here is the deal; we are the Illinois State Council (ILSHRM) of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). We do have an opening on our board of directors currently. We are looking for a Director of Diversity and Inclusion.  The position has been open since April of 2016.   Our board has been going through some consolidation due to changes in our business model.  But as we move ahead it has become apparent that this is an important position and needs to be filled.

Historically at ILSHRM, the way that open positions have been filled is through recommendations from current board members, or friends of those board members recommending their friends.  While that has worked in the past, it has not brought the level of inclusion to where it needs to be.  Said another way, when I look around the room at a board meeting, we all kind of look the same.   I understand that D & I means a lot more than race today. It includes religion, gender, gender orientation, sexual orientation, size, body types and with our organization it includes geography.  Thus, we will try to do better!

So being the Human Resources pros that we are, and knowing what we know, we are going to shake it up a bit.  We are going to recruit for a Director of Diversity and Inclusion.  Yes, we are going to post this opening on our website and ask for people to apply for this position. We also will ask all our Chapter Presidents to make this opening known to their chapter members who might be interested in sharing of themselves. And lest we not forget any of our AT-LARGE SHRM MEMBERS… that would be you 8000+ SHRM members in Illinois that are not currently affiliated with a chapter, you are welcome to become part of our organization as well.

Another change we are making is this. We are going to have a person on the board whose job it is to recommend to the board, qualified candidates to fill these positions.  The job title for this person is still somewhat in limbo, but things in place include, Succession Planner, HR Director, Talent and Acquisition Pro. We’re not sure where that is going to end up but these are some of the things in play.

We do have a job description for the position (because we are HR Pros) but being a member of a SHRM State Council involves a lot more that performing your singular board duties.  Check out some of the other content we have put out over the years on YouTube or Facebook, and if you think you would be a good fit within our board please apply.

 

If you have any questions about the State Council and our activities please contact me Dave Ryan via email and I will do my best to get back with you in a timely fashion.

-Dave Ryan Director Illinois State Council of SHRM

Are we Measuring The Right Things

Today's Post is from ILSHRM Regular Contributor John Hudson. John is currently an HR Manager with Discovery Communications and Harpo Studios in Chicago and has over 15 years of experience in the Human Resources field.  He provides consultation and expertise in the areas of performance management, employee development, employee relations, compensation and recruiting.   John has also worked in the insurance and consumer products environments supporting various departments including IT, Finance and Operations.  John has a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Indiana University and the SPHR certification. Follow him @johnphudson@johnphudson on Twitter

Photo credit to www.acatalent.com

HR is all about numbers and metrics these days. Just pick up any issue of SHRM HR magazine, and it’s clear we are measuring and tracking everything we do. But there are some things we have traditionally measured to show we are saving money, that may actually be costing the company more in the long term. The “time to fill” metric, for example, drives behaviors that go against what recruiters and HR professionals are paid to do: find the most qualified candidate.

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“The Ladders” did a study that theorizes a recruiter spends about 6 seconds reviewing a resume. Yes, I know, we are all “Super Recruiters,” but how do we know we aren’t scanning through some candidates who may be the most qualified for your job? Common sense would say a candidate’s job title is viewed in one of those 6 seconds and a Marketing Manager may be passed over in favor of a VP of Marketing. By looking a few seconds longer, that Marketing Manager may be overseeing a 4 million dollar budget, while the VP is responsible for a $500k budget.

We need to spend more time understanding what a candidate is actually doing for their organization. Pick up the phone, send an email, tweet ‘em, or LinkedInMail ‘em. We owe it to our hiring managers and organizations to do this. So what if there are 500 applicants to sift through. How many qualified candidates are overlooked due to one HR person’s perception of a job title or a resume type?  

As recruiters and HR professionals, one of our main responsibilities is to find the most qualified candidate, period. Unfortunately, we reward behaviors by analyzing metrics like “time to fill” and making sure a job is closed as quickly as possible.  I know, I know, the longer the job is open, the more production, and more importantly, the more money, is lost. How much more money is lost, though, by making the wrong hire? I know we all measure that.

Managers need positions filled quickly, but they also need the most qualified candidate. We need to take time to explain our overall process to the hiring manager. Spend time upfront explaining. Set the expectation that while it may take a little longer, the time will produce the most qualified candidate, and a better hire, for the organization. A few extra minutes exploring the candidate’s background can make a difference. After all, that is what we are paid to do.

Metrics are important. We need them to validate the work we are doing and to show the value we are adding. We need to make sure these metrics are reinforcing the right behaviors, though. Just because we have always measured “time to fill” doesn’t mean we are getting the desired result. It’s time to rethink what we have traditionally measured and make sure it is ultimately producing what the company needs. John P. Hudson

Thoughts from a Job Fair

Last week I attended a job fair sponsored by our local Chamber of Commerce. It is an annual event.  While it has never been marketed as such, the job fair has become one, of many entry level positions and near minimum wage jobs.  As I stood behind my table and watched the wave of job seekers overtake the room I was really disappointed to see the same thing again this year.

It appears that so many of the young folks who attend at an entry level event are part of what academics call structurally unemployed.  While this may be brash or arrogant of me to say this, it appears that these folks lack the skill to get an interview, let alone land the job, if they were fortunate enough to get called for an interview.  Speciffically what was I seeing that led me to believe this,,,

• Don't smoke pot before coming to a job fair (I know what it smells like)
• Don't be a 20 something young lady in a halter top carrying a child and pushing another one (wanting to talk to employers, you are screaming I have child care issues) 
• Ball caps - take them off 
• Young men - pull your pants up, I don't want to see your underwear (it's the food plant thing) 
• Look at me (in the eyes) when we are conversing (not off into the distance)
• Don't travel in packs  - I want to hire individuals not groups of people
• If you bring one of your parents - don't let them talk for you
• Take the metal out of your face, the holes are ok - I get it that you have piercings
• Do something to make sure you don't have bad breath

My bullet point lists reminds me of one of my son's favorite sayings.  He works for the parent organization of a College Fraternity.  He always tell the young fraternity gentlemen, "You get one chance at first impressions."  I think that is profound.

OR - I am I missing the whole thing?  Should I change my attire and style to look, dress and act like these folks?

As I mull that over, I have one last final observation from the job fair.  For the first time in my life I started to get creeped-out by shaking someones hand.  I observed an individual sneezing. After covering their mouth with their hand, they then extended their hand to me,  So I am thinking great, I am going to directly get whatever germs they have rolling around in their system. But I hung tuff and shook their hand anyway.

I am thinking of pushing a new concept at job fairs. Rather than shake hands, I think we (employers) should follow suit from our friends in Asia; Japan, Korea, Viet Nam etc. and bow our heads at each other, when we meet someone new. This would show respect and not spread germs.   That would probably be the most respect I would be shown as a recruiter, at a job fair.

-Dave Ryan Director of Social Media ISC SHRM

TalentNetLIVE meets ILSHRM12

Here is another video interview from Susan Avello talking with TalentNet's Craig Fisher and Crystal Miller about Social Recruiting and HR, and the upcoming Unconference TalentNetLIVE on August 5th, 2012 right before ILSHRM12.

Video – The New Frontier in Recruiting

As technology developments keep advancing in all industries, they include rapid developments in the human capital service sector.  A great example of this evolution is exemplified by the print media industry; newspapers worldwide are declining, electronic notebooks (Kindle, the Nook, etc...) are replacing hard cover books, and content delivered through video is in rapid growth mode.  It is easy to understand the logic behind this transformation, humans learn and retain 60% more information through video versus reading straight text.

That video evolution in the HR space is led by an Illinois based Company called JSTN (Job SearchTelevision Network). They are making big noise in the HR community.  JSTN converts traditional text job openings into high quality video with cutting-edge technology, and it is less expensive than text!  We hear through the space the importance of quality versus quantity, JSTN's case studies speak for themselves, increasing leading employers qualified candidate flow to grow for their businesses.  

Check out this hardware at JSTN Studios- Ahhhh!

JSTN was host to TheTalent Net Live regional conference on recruiting in December of 2011.  Much of that conference was broadcast live on the internet(see those pieces here) which also showcased some of the other abilities that JSTN has. Several members of the Illinois SHRM Board, who attended the Talent Net Live Recruiting Event were treated to a behind the scenes look at all that is going on at JSTN’s Aurora Headquarters.  We got to see just how sophisticated the operation truly is.  There were racks of servers everywhere, a geek dream come true.

But what JSTN is really trying bring to the forefront is the  video report, which allows organizations to showcase job openings in a video format using  diverse, professional on-air talent.  Their intuitive share function allows candidates to virally spread your video through out the web.  Every great message must have a call to action, their  "Apply Now" button creates just that, plus it links to your Applicant Tracking System allowing for full trackability and metrics.

JSTN's viral video can be hosted on your career site, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and everywhere including mobile, allowing you to reach out to quality candidates and attract them to your organization.  All of your videolinks are dynamic as well, that means no more wasting time against a separate campaign for email versus mobile. Candidates are accessing job messaging from every device type, so it is critical that your message renders the best experience for them, this is your brand.  

In addition to showcasing your jobs in a dynamic way the Video Job Report can be complimented with JSTN's other video product called the "Cultural Insight" which allows clients to provide candidates with a behind the scenes insight into their organization.  The industry is a buzz about long term pipelines, and what tools you are using to create and expand your talent communities.  Video can provide a more compelling message that candidates are more willing to open, share, and execute against.  Who are some of JSTN's clients?  Organizations like Verizon Wireless, Liberty Mutual, Dolby, and Burger King are using this innovative technology and not just in the US.  Video is mobile and video is global.  Whether you are trying to reach a candidate in Poland, Britain or China, they would rather engage with you via video.  QUOTE – Chief Client Officer Lindsay Stanton "We had the privileged of rolling out our new JSTN patented "Tool Bar" in September.  It is a phenomenal advancement for our direct clients as well as our global RPO and agency partners, allowing them to access their video assets on their internal browser.  The client's sourcers and recruiters can then easily access videos to embed within their CRM, ATS, landing pages and social media."

JSTN has been working with SHRM National and will again be working with Illinois SHRM on our State Conference in 2012. You will be able to meet with them first hand at both events.

We support them as an Illinois based firm and look for continued cutting-edge technology to be coming from them. We hope to soon be announcing plans for a webinar about video recruiting. Stay Tuned!

-Dave Ryan Director of Social Media ISC SHRM