HR | Letters and Keywords

The Human Resources' role can be a tricky one. You have an opening. The job description is created. The websites and channels are populated. And the flood of applicants come in. I've been on both sides of this cycle and it's not fun.

One trend that is almost universal is twofold; the long list of experience required and a minimum educational level. It seems more and more openings require a BA or MBA and the ability to work in a face-paced environment handing tight deadlines without sweating whilst smiling brightly. It appears the world is in search of a lot of jugglers.

Time for a new approach?

You worked hard, you earned the degree, well done! I don't have an MBA but I have consulted clients who require one to work full-time at their company. I'm not suggesting you lower any bar but keep in mind if you're a hiring agent that most aren't great at writing resumes and matching your keywords.

Perhaps if you're in HR, you've seen a candidate that would be perfect - if their resume even gets to you - yet they have to be eliminated. It's a shame. Perhaps you're looking for work, have plenty of experience, hired a resume writing expert, and are still having trouble knocking down the keyword software interface. My two cents, we are all missing out on some remarkable opportunities.

Technology is excellent but let's not forget the human in our resources.
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Human is the Critical Ingredient

Dear C-suite, V-suite, Directors, Managers, and HR Pros,

Please step away from keyword searches and software forms when looking for smart people to work at your company. It can be hard to sift through hundreds of applicants but it's part of your job.

Don't let laziness or Taleo software or someone who may not have their PhD in resume writing or two-page job description wishlists for 22-year old MBA grads who have 18 years' experience, stop you from finding great people to become part of your culture who will improve your business.

We are missing out on countless opportunities to create teams that will do remarkable work. I think education is important and should be encouraged and celebrated, but let's not lose out to those connections we can make when we step away from the forms and job boards and make a real connection.

That's why we call it human resources.
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Dear HR Pros and Job Searchers

I was on a prospect call this week with a colleague who has been running her own human resources firm for 25 years. We commiserated about the fact far too often HR professionals are caught in the middle of an organization. Employees think they're in the know while senior management doesn't always consult them for strategic ideas.

As someone who is self-employed, I look for work almost every day. Whether it's corporate opportunities, consulting contracts, or new relationships, it's part of the gig. It's not always easy. It can be a grind and it takes a lot of time and effort. But how different is it for anyone in the world of full-time employment working at a company where they do a job for a paycheck every two weeks? We are all earning our compensation daily. And it seems job security isn't as secure in many places any more.

Letters and Keywords

The HR role can be a tricky one. You have an opening. The job description is created. The websites and channels are populated. And the flood of applicants come in. I've been on both sides of this cycle and it's not fun. One trend that is almost universal is twofold; the long list of experience required and a minimum educational level. It seems more and more openings require a BA or MBA and the ability to work in a face-paced environment handing tight deadlines without sweating whilst smiling brightly. It appears the world is in search of a lot of jugglers.

I've written about this in the past, an MBA should be commended. You worked hard, you earned the degree, well done! I don't have an MBA but I have consulted clients who require one to work full-time at their company. I'm not suggesting you lower any bar but keep in mind if you're a hiring agent that most of us aren't great at writing resumes and matching your keywords. Software helps sift through the hundreds, sometimes thousands of applications. I get it.

But is it time for a new idea?

I have had HR executives tell me my experience would help them but they can't hire my services because I don't have an MBA. What a bunch of crap. Their hands are tied. Three decades of corporate and consulting experience in numerous industries yet because I didn't get my masters, I'm off the list. Maybe you've experienced this in consulting or your job search.

Perhaps if you're in HR, you've seen a candidate that would be perfect - if their resume even gets to you - yet they have to be eliminated. It's a shame. Perhaps you're looking for work, have plenty of experience, hired a resume writing expert, and are still having trouble knocking down the keyword software interface. My two cents, we are all missing out on some remarkable opportunities.

Let's find a way to do this better.
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As a passionate leader, Kneale Mann has extensive experience as a business advisor and project manager in numerous industries and organizations including; human resources, corporate training, financial services, media, real estate, healthcare and more. He is always open to meeting leaders who want to improve their bottom line through strong culture and leadership. knealemann@gmail.com

Experience and Letters

I was recently chatting with a colleague who is a highly experienced human resources director about education, training, and degrees. He was lamenting that his company has kept raising the bar for new applicants. Twenty years ago, experience was more important than degrees. Today, if you don’t have an MBA, you can’t apply for most of the openings in his organization.

This is not to say an MBA isn’t impressive – it is – but it’s just one metric. If you have a person who has shown their ability and discipline to finish six years of university, you should acknowledge that. But my friend’s point was that they were discarding those who didn't have the letters behind their names even though clearly they had the ability and experience to be considered.

One Size Never Fits All

In my work as a leadership consultant and business coach, I've worked with a man who has built three multimillion dollar companies on a high school diploma and an extremely bright MBA graduate who struggled with the human aspects of his business. There are always exceptions but the question I had for my HR friend, can we assume the education someone has attained is a fail safe way to determine business acumen?

It’s been said that education is a lifelong pursuit but keep in mind when you are looking at new people to join your team, there are various metrics to consider. Formal education is important but experience shouldn't be ruled out. And once they do join your team, what types of continuing education and training do you offer to help them continue to grow?

That Will Do

The chat with my HR colleague ended on an interesting note when he reminded me his MBA was earned in mathematics which has very little to do with his work today. His HR training was necessary to get the gig but without an MBA, he would have never even been considered.

On the Forbes 400 Billionaire list; 35 have their law degree, 29 have a masters in science, 21 have their PhD, and 63 (or 15%) of the richest humans on the planet only have a high school diploma.

Education is critical but if we only measure it from the perspective of formal settings, are we closing our minds to possibilities?

Something to think about if you only look at letters.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit