Welcome to the Jungle…I Mean, Carnival of HR

August 17, 2011

This week’s Carnival of HR comes to you from Good ‘ol Fort Worth, Texas.  A huge thanks to all who submitted posts this week.  I feel special.  Now, let’s get this ball rolling.

“Some Overtime Required” – or, Human Resources

Can HR make a difference in a time of despair and dissent? Ian Welsh of HR Toolbox offers hope that it can and suggestions on how to throw cynicism to the curb and accept positive change in HR in “The Summer of Our Discontent! HR Making it Better!”

Is job creation on the rise? With “diamond in the rough” reports, John Gibbons of I4CP discusses the possibility of growing employee optimism and job growth in “Beware the Shiny Objects.”

Managers make use of a disturbing trend in hiring:  excluding the unemployed from job postings. Jennifer Miller of The People Equation explains why “Excluding the Unemployed is No Silver Bullet.”

Who would have thought? Eric B. Meyer of The Employer Handbook writes “Apparently, Sex in A Supply Closet is Not Sexual Harrassment” based on a recent case in Utah.

We’ve all had to work with hall monitors or our own personal Dennis Rodman before. Ben Eubanks of upstartHR has some tips in “Communicating with Difficult Team Members.”

Think your LinkedIn profile can replace your resume? Think again. Jessica Lee of Fistful of Talent writes an open letter to LinkedIn in “Dear LinkedIn: A LinkedIn Profile Makes a Resume Doth Not. (Love, Jessica).”

Bill Kutik is getting married! Also, a discount to the HR Technology Conference and cats! Of course! Laurie Ruettimann of The Cynical Girl shares in “Bill Kutik is Getting Married.”

Is new technology taunting you? It’s okay. Steve Boese of Steve Boese’s HR Technology has some suggestions and questions to help you out of your fetal ball and into the world of up-to-date in “New Technology and Staying Relevant.”

Crying fits in your cubicle? Complete separation of emotions and work? Cindy Janovitz of Meet Cindy Elizabeth talks about balance in “Emotions in the Workplace.”

“Engage & Synergy” – or, Marketing & Social Media

Naming is really not a one-size-fits-all proposition.  Learn more about naming your company in “What’s in A Name for an HR Tech or Services Brand?” by Steve Smith of Starr Tincup

Google alerts can be a great tool to staying on top of the latest industry trends…until a Jaws-like Internet troll comes and takes all your information. Melissa Prusher at The Devon Grouphas some tips on protecting your identity online in “Me on the Web = Me on Google?”

Want to be in the “in crowd?” Follow these “Top 100 HR & Recruiting Industry Pros on Twitter” suggestions by Jennifer McClure of Unbridled Talent.

If you’re avoiding social media sites for recruitment, you’re missing out. Susan Heathfield of About.com tells you why in “Use Social Media for Recruitment.”

“The Decisions Matrix” – or, Leadership

The Army says that there are “toxic leaders” in its ranks. That’s a problem. But 97 percent of officers and sergeants have experienced an exceptional leader, and Wally Bock of Three Star Leadership says that may be part of the solution in “The 97 Percent Solution.”

Whether your talent pool is full of loveable idiots or brilliant problem children, Dan McCarthy of Great Leadership says stop tolerating crappy behavior in exchange for results with “A Simple High Performance Model.”

Do you have what it takes to make a mentoring program work? Lynn Dessert makes “The Case for Not Creating a Mentoring Program” on Elephants at Work by bringing up questions you should definitely consider before you go blindly in pairing people up at work.

Make your employees wash your car, move their office to the dark, windowless basement…there are plenty of easy ways to drive your talent quickly away. Dwane Lay of Lean HR has three more for you in “Three Ways to Demotivate Your Employees.”

Giving up your dream of becoming an astronaut…or “Daydreams of an OD Mechanic” by Prasad Oommen Kurian of Simplicity at the Other End of Complexity.

Before anyone will support change, they have to see the need for it. Heather Stagl of Enclaria gives “Seven Tactics for Instigating Change.”

“Sweaty Palms” – or, Networking & Speaking

For those who get sweaty-palmed and nervous before public presentations, Steve Roesler of All Things Workplace suggests “Just Have a Conversation” to feel more at ease.

Don’t be that jerk at conferences. Franny Oxford of Do the Work has some tips on networking and being more comfortable at events and conferences, without being a jerk in “How to Meet People at Professional Conferences.”

Other

This isn’t your grandpa’s ADP. Naomi Bloom of In Full Bloom talks about the “Four Pillars of ADP” and the balance between sales, services, financial management and technology in business.

Connect with Bret Starr and Starr Conspiracy on Twitter and like Starr Tincup on Facebook for updates on the world of HR and general shenanigans.

Make sure you have an idea of what you think you will achieve and how with social technologies before you roll them out. Mark Bennett of Talented Apps warns, “Be Careful of Social Cargo Cults.”