The HR Mentor

#16: How to Build Trust in your HR Role

As an HR professional, you may have never considered the important role that trust plays in your role. But I believe it can mean the difference between succeeding and simply banging your head against the wall in frustration. You see when you develop trust with the managers you support, they will not only listen to the advice and guidance you give them, but they will seek it and you out. And that will have you feeling more confident and able to make a positive impact in your organization.
 
In this episode I discuss five ways that I believe you can build trust in your HR role. They are:
Act with integrity
Build your capabilities
Demonstrate respect
Be consistent
Deliver results
Here is a summary of the episode:
[04:32] - You may have never considered trust as a behaviour that is necessary for a professional role, but HR professionals have to delivery results through other people (leaders) and as such we need to have strong relationships with them.
[05:18] - I believe trust is the secret sauce to success in that relationship. They aren't going to just trust you because you have a role and a title.
[07:15] - Here are the five ways I believe you can build trust with your client groups or managers:
Act with integrity
Build your capabilities
Demonstrate respect
Be consistent
Deliver results
[08:09] - The first trust building behaviour is acting with integrity. Integrity for me means behaving in accordance with your principles and values and the values and principles of your organization. It also means acting honestly by being true to who you are.
[08:58] - I share an example of how this can be demonstrated in the workplace and how you may be acting without integrity.
[10:32] - You can develop your integrity by getting clear on your values and principles are and the values and principles of the organization. Then when you have an opportunity act in accordance with that do it! If you want to learn more about your values, you can begin with the Identifying Your Values Worksheet which you can find here. And be sure to go back and listen to Episode 3: Identify your Core Values.
[11:08] - The second behaviour is building your capabilities. We all have something to learn, but when you are new to an HR role this is even more important for you since you don't graduate from an HR program with all the knowledge and skills you will need to effectively advise leaders.
[12:38] - One of the most important capabilities you need to build is your knowledge of the organization and department or team you are supporting. You can be expected to give advice to a group of people when you don't know anything about them, their priorities or their pain points.
[13:38] - You also want to learn as much as you can about possible solutions to their problems or challenges. You can do this by leveraging your network, colleagues, your association or search for learning opportunities online.
[14:44] - Being capable also means that you're able to perform essential tasks and duties; leading meetings, conducting investigations, screening resumes, writing job descriptions, etc. In order to learn how to do these essential tasks be willing to say yes to helping with these tasks or shadowing others in your department. Then ask for feedback!
[16:51] - The third way to build trust is by showing respect. This is such a critical behaviour.
[17:28] - When I talk about respect in the workplace I am talking about showing concern and care for everyone. Respect can be shown in big and little ways and often it's the little ways that have the biggest impact.
[17:58] - Some of the smaller ways include; listening to someone else, helping job candidates relax, finishing the filing or other tasks that aren't yours, saying good-morning, remembering people's names and learning to pronounce them, and acknowledging and appreciating people goes a long way.
[18:50] - Showing respect to managers demonstrates that you know your role is to support them. That it is not about you.
[19:02] - Some of the ways you can show this respect is by listening more, getting to know them, use their name (and don't shorten it), using professional language (know your audience), and be careful of oversharing.
[20:42] - You can also build trust in your organization by showing the organization respect. Clean up after yourself!
[21:40] - One of the bigger ways you can show respect is to give credit where credit is due. If your HR Assistant did something for your manager or client group, make sure you give them credit it for it.
[23:22] - The fourth way to build trust, and my favourite, is being consistent. When someone lacks consistency they are all over the map. Rollercoasters are fun at amusement parks, but not in relationships.
[24:52] - When I talk about being consistent as a newer HR professional, I am talking about you showing up consistently for your manager or client group. If you start doing something for them, do it every time. If you schedule weekly meetings with them, stick to your schedule or negotiate necessary changes with them, rather than just cancelling it or blowing it off.
[26:54] - Giving your managers consistent behaviour and keeping your commitments shows they they can depend on you. And that builds trust. Don't be a rollercoaster ride!
[27:13] - The fifth and final behaviour is to deliver results.
[27:50] - You can do this by setting expectations with your managers. What do they need and how often? Once you know them and their department, it's a great idea to sit down and discuss expectations. You can't deliver on expectations if you aren't on the same page with your manager or client group.
[29:21] - What happens when you can't deliver your results? Be upfront about it and demonstrate your integrity. Communicate as far in advance as possible and don't make excuses or throw someone else under the bus.
[29:57] - Most of the time expectations and deadlines can be re-negotiated, but be honest about it. But take your commitments seriously.
[30:41] - One of the challenges HR faces is the idea or myth that we are roadblocks. HR professionals like yourself and be part of changing this perspective by focusing on what your organization and managers need and this can only happen if you build trust.
[31:55] - If you want to have a successful HR career and desire to be respected and valued, building trust is going to help you feel more confident and happier at work.
[32:17] - I have created a trust building behaviour worksheet that you can download using the link below.
[32:50] - Thank you for being here and exceeding my expectations. In order to manage your expectations I want you to know that Season 1 is going to wrap up with episode 20. The final episode or two are going to be Q&A with you, the listeners. So watch for opportunities to submit your questions you want me to answer.
Here are some helpful links:
Take your trust building action to the next level and download the Trust Building Worksheet.
Under act with integrity I talk about knowing what you value. If you want to learn more about your values, you can begin with the Identifying Your Values Worksheet which you can find here. And be sure to go back and listen to Episode 3: Identify your Core Values.
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#15: Interview with Joel Peterson - Part 2

What a treat! My friend and colleague Joel joined me a few days after our first conversation to continue talking all things recruitment. Joel is the Founder and Managing Director of Arbutus Search Group and a recruitment and selection expert.
 
In this episode, Joel explains the benefits of working with a recruitment agency and what he believes are the most important elements of a successful search effort. What he says may just surprise you. Joel and I also discuss the key ways you can increase the diversity of your applicant pool and the possible ways to pursue a career in recruitment.
 
Joel and I are both firm believers in the power of awareness to reduce biases in the recruitment and selection process. I talk about the Harvard Implicit Bias test in this episode as I encourage all my students to take one or more of these tests to understand where they might have biases. You may want to check it out even if you don't work in recruitment or hire employees now.
 
I sincerely hope you enjoy this conversation with Joel as much as I enjoyed talking with him.
 
In case you missed our first chat, you can listen to it here and learn more about Joel in the show summary.
If you want more information about Arbutus Search or you want to connect with Joel about possible future opportunities you can find him at joel@arbutussearch.com or through LinkedIn @Joel Peterson.
 
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#14: Interview with Joel Peterson - Part 1

I am so thrilled that my good friend and colleague Joel Peterson agreed to sit down with me and talk about recruitment. Joel is the Founder and Managing Director of Arbutus Search Group and an expert in all things recruitment.
 
In this episode, Joel and I talk about the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is affecting the job market and what will most likely be different in the future. Joel also shares some great advice for job seekers about how to get noticed online and what he believes are essential actions to land your next role. If you are looking for a new opportunity or your first role, you won't want to miss this!
 
Here is a little bit more about Joel Peterson and how you can connect with him.
 
Joel has been connecting the best and brightest professionals around the globe in Australia, Japan, Europe, UK, and across North America since 2007. He enjoys learning about what people do, how they do it and why they are passionate about their professions.
 
Joel is anything but a box checker. He learns what makes a company an amazing place to thrive as an employee and then connects to the talented and innovative professionals that will take that organization to the next level.
 
Joel is known for finding talent that was out of reach before his clients engaged him. He do this through targeted value propositions, engaging conversations, and an unrivaled candidate experience. As a result, the people he places stay longer, contribute more and have better engagement scores.
 
He wants to be remembered as the person that inspired others to stretch themselves to reach the goals that were previously unreachable, and gained success in the work that they do creating a more fulfilled, engaged and connected life for them and their family.
If you're building a new team or just adding to it, Joel can help define a candidate pool and help you select high performing individuals.
 
If you want more information about Arbutus Search or you want to connect with Joel about possible future opportunities you can find him at joel@arbutussearch.com or through LinkedIn @Joel Peterson.
 
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#13: How to HR

There are many different paths to an HR career and as such not all HR professionals are created equal. There are also some people working in HR roles that do not understand the purpose of their role. In this episode, I explain my perspective on the vital function we provide and how you, as an HR professional can align yourself with that purpose, regardless of your position on the org chart.
 
I believe the role of an HR professional in any organization is to help manage human resources to ensure the organization remains relevant and wins in the marketplace or space they operate in.
 
I believe HR professionals at all levels of the organization can engage in four important activities to help them achieve this purpose.
 
Here is a summary of these four activities:
 
Know the business you are in.
Know your customers and stakeholders and what drives their behaviour.
Build positive relationships with your internal clients and business leaders.
Make your HR function as effective and efficient as possible.
Here is a summary of key points in this episode:
[03:26] - Dave Ulrich says, "the most important thing leaders and HR professionals deliver to an employee is an organization that wins in the marketplace" in his latest book, "HR from the Outside In." This is really important because it places the HR function where it belongs, at the heart of helping the organization succeed. Ther is a link below to read more of Dave's work.
[04:42] - In my Staffing & Planning course I always begin the semester with a discussion around the primary purpose of an organization. This lesson is based on the work of Anabelle Beerel, which is captured in her book "Leadership and Change" where she says, "the primary purpose of an organization is to remain relevant and survive."
[05:40] - Organizations remain relevant by managing resources, including their most valuable ones; their human resources.
[06:05] - When I consider both of these pieces of wisdom I conclude that the role of HR professionals is to help manage the organization's human resources that allows it to remain relevant and win whatever marketplace or space they are in. Regardless of where you are in the organization, you can help further the "relevant and win" mission in your role by engaging in the four actions summarized above.
[07:55] - The first one is 'know the business you are in.' It is important for HR professionals to really understand what their organization does and how it operates. How does the organization make revenue, what do different people do, what is your vision, mission and strategy. If you don't find this in publications (annual reports, internal memos), you should find someone you can ask. If you don't know what your organization does you can't align what you do (how your hire and support people) to achieve that mission or purpose. And this alignment is critical to winning in the marketplace.
[09:44] - The second one is knowing your customers or stakeholders and why they engage with your organization? Who are they, what are their demographics, what motivates them? This is critically important in HR, especially in recruitment. If you know why your customer's engage with your organization you can help hire and retain human capital that help deliver the right experience to your customers. Talk to the people who engage with your customers and find out what drives their behaviour.
[11:58] - Build positive relationships with your internal clients and business leaders is my third recommended action. I talk about this in Episode 7: How to make a Postiive Impact in the First 90-Days, but this is one of the best ways to be effective. You don't need to be BFF's with everyone, but it is important to build trusting, collaborative relationships with them. No one likes to have a finger wagged in their face or to be told how wrong they are so instead of taking that approach, focus on their needs and how you can help them achieve their goals and the goals of the organization. A great way to do this is to seek out information from leaders. Ask them what their challenges are and what they are focused on.
[14:38] - The fourth and final things you can do is try to make your HR function as efficient and effective as possible. Purchasing technology can be both costly and difficult, and I recognize their barriers to this in many organizations, but finding ways to reduce manual tasks creates space to better support the organization to win. Start with your most painful process and look at how you can make some of it automated or streamlined. Learning how to write a business case is a good skills to learn to support taking these types of initiatives forward to your leader.
[17:01] - I summarize the purpose of HR is to help the organization stays relevant and wins in the marketplace through four key actions. Here they are again.
Know the business you are in.
Know your customers and stakeholders and what drives their behaviour.
Build positive relationships with your internal clients and business leaders.
Make your HR function as effective and efficient as possible.
[17:57] - Policy, rules and the law are important in our roles. We do have to make sure our Manager's are following all of these. But if your HR function stops at policy enforcement you are likely the one who will not remain relevant. And that, will not feel like winning!
Here are some helpful links:
My podcast editor Lorenzo did something cool and extra this week! He created a transcript of this episode for you. Yay Lorenzo!! You can read the transcript for this episode here.
I mentioned that it is good to learn how to write a business case. This can be a lot of work and it is a skill in itself, but don't be afraid to try it if you want to change something in your organization. This guide provides a helpful overview of the key components. You can also start with a one-page synopsis of your proposal to see if there is any interest from your leader.
For more information about Anabelle Beerel visit her website here!
For more details about Dave Ulrich you can find more details here
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#12: The Importance of Curiosity to your HR Career

Perhaps you've heard the saying, "curiosity killed the cat," which implies that somehow being curious is a bad thing. In my home curiosity only seems to get the cats (and our dog) more attention, but the saying has stood the test of time. In this episode, I flip that saying on its head and show you four ways that the ability to stay curious can help you become a more effective HR professional.
 
The Four Reasons Why Curiosity is Important for an HR Career are:
Boosts Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
Sparks Innovation and Improves Workplaces
Help your Transfer of Learning and Retention
Help you Build Positive Relationships
Here is a summary of the show:
[00:18] - Curiosity is a natural instinct that activates the memory centers of your brain and gives you a rush of dopamine, the pleasure chemical.
[02:37] - Believing that you know everything is a missed opportunity. There is so much value in learning.
[05:27] - Today I am talking about why curiosity is important to a successful HR career. I share the four reasons why curiosity is important listed above.
[07:06] - One of the core responsibilities of an HR professional is to solve problems. Managers generally come to their HR partners when they have problems to solve. You may have history with this situation, but jumping to a solution too quickly can lead to solving the wrong problem. Staying curious keeps you open to discover the right problem.
[08:11] - I share an example of how this can happen with a personal experience from my consulting practice. What the company thought was an attendance problem turned out to be a serious turnover and recruiting and retention problem.
[11:19] - The second reasons curiosity is important is that is sparks innovation and improves workplaces. So much has changed in the last ten to fifteen years in the field of HR and how workplaces function. Technology has changed so much of what we do.
[14:56] - HR departments and leaders are now faced with huge challenges in adapting their workplaces to a world with COVID-19. I belive that if you stay curious you will be able to help you and your organization do just that.
[16:08] - The third reason I believe curiosity is important in an HR role is that it helps us with learning transfer and retention. The science shows that when you are curious you will have an easier time remember. I share examples of how learning things I am not interested in are not retained by me. The same applies to your employees.
[18:02] - This is why hiring people who are engaged with your vision and mission are going to make them better at their job, more engaged and perform better. This also applies to you with your job search. Chose career paths and roles you are interested in.
[19:31] - The fourth and final reason that curiosity is important to your HR career is that it helps you build more positive relationships. This quote from Roy T. Bennett sums this up nicely. He says, "Listen with curiosity. Speak with honesty. Act with integrity. The greatest problem with communication is we don't listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don't listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what's behind the words."
[20:39] - When we listen to reply, I believe it happens in part because we are fearful of having to change.
[21:02] - I share the example of an employee meeting to illustrate what happens when we aren't curious. It blocks you from getting to the truth or the problem and more importantly it erodes trust with that individual and damages relationships. We close ourselves off to connection, understanding and solutions.
[22:34] - When you are curious you open yourself up to better relationships, healthier workplaces and better results.
[22:53] - Brené Brown's book, "Braving the Wilderness" has a chapter called, "People are hard to hate up close. Move in." and this phrase illustrates to me why there is value in trying to understand people. Getting closer to people by being curious about them helps us reduce our angry reactions and assumptions and thus develop better understanding and relationships.
[25:07] - HR professionals are in a unique position in the organization to develop an understanding of both the employee and manager perspectives. You are poised perfectly to use your curiosity to create effective solutions and innovate. You can do this by tapping into your natural instinct of curiosity.
[25:38] - I summarize the four reasons I believe curiosity is important for your HR career. Here they are again.
The Four Reasons Why Curiosity is Important for an HR Career are:
Boosts Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
Sparks Innovation and Improves Workplaces
Help your Transfer of Learning and Retention
Help you Build Positive Relationships
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#11: Journey to Forty-Six

Today Melanie is taking you on a journey through some key moments in her career and life with the hopes of inspiring you to carve your own unique path, regardless of whether or not it seems right to others or the easiest road to travel.  
 
These are her key messages:
Your career is not going to be a straight upwards line
Follow what interests and excites you
Be willing to start anywhere
You are not a job title or position
Here is a summary of this episode:
[03:03] - Growing up in a small town was a great experience, but when it came time to attend University, Melanie chose one that was as far away from that small town as possible. She worked hard to get into UVIC in Victoria, BC, but enrolling in a General Arts program was not my best decision.
[05:40] - Although she previously enjoyed school, she did not enjoy the courses she was taking in the Arts program and was incredibly home sick. In the third week of September, her father also had his second heart-attack, which was a major catalyst for a major shift in her educational and life direction.
[08:43] - One of my toughest life decisions was to quit University and leave UVIC before she finished out my year. The support of her family was huge.
[10:20] - This experience really taught her that it is important to ask for what you need and to follow your own interests and likes when it comes to choosing an education and career path. She also learned that shifting gears is ok! And her path is her path, it doesn't have to be ok for other people.
[11:39] - Fast forward a number of years after completing her business degree at TRU, and starting her HR career. But, this didn't happen over night. She had four years experience in related roles before she even succeeded with securing entry-level HR roles. It then took a number of years before she was being offered more advanced roles and the pay and lifestyle that this afforded her family.
[12:53] - Then one day she realized that the lifestyle she was living in the suburbs of Vancouver, was not ideally to having a family and not spending most of my life in her car! It was then that she realized it was time to move back to Kamloops.
[13:43] - She did not expect that moving to Kamloops would mean major career and financial changes for her life. We knew there was going to be sacrifices if we made the move and when we eventually moved, it was definitely a step backwards. But in her heart, she knew she would eventually make my way back to the same level of role she was when she left. It was scary, but she was hopeful and believed in her skills and experience.
[15:20] - Although she didn't know it at the time, this move was totally worth it. Better roles came along, she started her MBA and navigated another unexpected life change - divorce. This time of  life really taught her that she was capable of handling a lot of tough stuff and a crazy schedule.
[16:58] - She doesn't recommend taking on what she took on, but she did learn that she needed to care for her own emotional and mental health. Humble the Poet said, "we can do anything, but not everything. And that realization will save a lifetime of grief and frustration."
[18:20] - After a number of years as a Generalist she had a great opportunity to work in Talent Management and Workforce Planning. It was a perfect role for me and she felt like this had her in a position that not only suited her, but also felt like she had advanced to a place that was beyond where she was when she left the Lower Mainland.
[19:56] - Then, she had the rug pulled out from under her when she was restructured out of that role. It was devastating for me and choosing to leave and not take on a different role was a really tough decision. Again, the support of my family was instrumental in making this move.
[21:49] - But leaving this organization gave me the opportunity to start Unicorn Group and she returned to teaching at TRU. Then, the best opportunity possible came along. It was completely unexpected, but she was thrilled! She was now a University teacher. Yes, ironic! She didn't want to be a teacher, but ended up doing just that, and loves it!
[22:51] - So what does this have to do with you? A lot of new professionals see career paths as straight lines that are always going up in title, salary and responsibility. But, her path and many others are very twisted and crooked. Sometimes you have to go back to go forwards or make lateral moves. This is all ok! There isn't one right path for everyone. You have to decide what is the best path for you.
[24:15] - Again, here are my key takeaways:
Your career is not going to be a straight upwards line
Follow what interests and excites you
Be willing to start anywhere
You are not a job title or position
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#10: Interview with Dean Lemphers Part 2

In this episode, Melanie continues her conversation with her former student Dean. He talks about his first HR role and what he has already learned about his new profession in only two weeks. The insights he has are impressive!
 
Dean explains how his new place of employment is very busy and his HR Lead does not have time to sit and train him on his role. So, he is learning by following her throughout her day to meetings and as she solves the day to day challenges of the business.
 
Being the smart person he is, Dean is taking this as an opportunity to observe, listen and learn. In two short weeks he has already discovered the following critical principles of being successful in HR:
The role of HR is to help solve business problems.
HR success is all about building relationships with people in the organization.
The role of a new graduate is to learn about the business and HR not to be the smartest person in the room with all the answers.
It was like he has been reading my mind!!
 
Melanie also shares one of my favourite HR stories from my career, where she learned how important it is to listen, observe and understand. The story of "Ashphalt Man" is definitely more animated when she shared it face to face in class, but you will get the gist. The moral of the story, ask questions, listen, learn and try to understand before you try to help solve problems.
 
Dean also shares some final key pieces of advice and reminders about his job search that I know those of you who are recent grads or those of you job seeking will want to hear.
Be a sponge
Put yourself out there
Rejection is part of the process
Thank you once again to Dean Lemphers for being on the show and for sharing his experience, insight and journey with us. He truly is one of the kindest most positive people I know!
 
If you haven't yet listened to Episode 9 and the first part of our interview you will want to check that out as well.
 
If you would like to connect with Dean as a fellow HR graduate you can find him on LinkedIn using this link.
 
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#9: Interview with Dean Lemphers Part 1

In this episode, Melanie has a wonderful conversation with a former student and TRU HR graduate who recently secured his first HR role. Dean Lemphers graduated in the spring of 2020 with a BBA with a major in Human Resource Management. This episode is part one of our conversation and in it, he shares the key factors that made him successful in securing his first HR job just months after graduation.
 
Here is a summary of Dean's advice:
Be willing to put yourself out there.
Connect with as many people as possible
Conduct informational interviews
Don't be afraid to ask
If you want some assistance in connecting to create opportunities in your job search, be sure to listen to Episode 8 - The Power of Connections and download the free Informational Interview guide. There I provide you with everything you need to take the same steps Dean took to be successful.
 
If you would like to connect with Dean as a fellow HR graduate you can find him on LinkedIn using this link.
 
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#8: The Importance of Making Connections

You've heard the saying, 'it's not what you know, it's who you know' right? Even if you don't agree with the saying in all circumstances, making personal connections is a critical component of a successful job search. In this week's episode, Melanie explains why this true and gives you four straightforward ways that you can increase the number of connections you have in your network so you can improve your career and job search results.
 
There are Four Ways to Increase Your Personal Connections:
Find a Mentor
Attend Networking Events
Join Online HR Groups
Conduct Informational Interviews
Here is a summary of the show:
[03:40] - Why is it important to your job search or career? Melanie explains some of the reasons why. One of the main reasons is that HR is a people-focused profession.
[04:42] - The second reason this is important is that your role is focused on solving problems and removing barriers for organizational leaders. But in order for them to do that, there needs to be a certain amount of trust between you and the leader. The main way to do this is to build positive relationships and have connections with other employees in the organization.
[06:23] - The third reason is that people hire people. It seems simple and obvious, but people aren't going to hire people they don't feel they have a connection to or they don't like. A great way to improve your chances of getting an HR job is to build connections with other professionals in the industry.
[08:45] - Melanie now explains four ways that new graduates or emerging HR practitioners can improve and increase their connections for job search and career success.
[09:03] - The first way to do this is by seeking out mentors. Either through formal mentoring programs or independently. 
[11:22] - The second way to increase your connections is to participate in networking events; either face to face or online. This is a great opportunity to meet with other HR professionals and be introduced to others.
[12:22] - The third suggestion is to join online HR groups. You can seek these out on LinkedIn or Facebook.
[13:28} - The fourth and final way is to conduct informational interviews. They are critical to your job search if you do them correctly. Melanie doesn't cover these guidelines in this episode, but don't worry, she has a great resource you can download for this! The link is listed at the bottom of this show summary.
[15:58] - How making these connections are going to help you in your job search or career. The main reason is that it gives you an opportunity to meet people who can help you in your job search and your career. The second reason is that it gives you an opportunity to practice talking to others and build comfort and skill with networking.
[17:42] - You can practice talking to others by joining a Toastmasters Club or practice your introduction on your friends and family.
Resources in this episode:
Informational Interview Guide
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#7: Make an Impact in Your First 90 Days

In this episode we are celebrating all our listeners who have secured their first HR role, professional job or a promotion. It is an incredible milestone to kick-off or advance your HR career. In recognition of this accomplishment, today we are talking about how to make a positive impact in the first 90-days so you can knock the socks off your new employer. Melanie covers three main categories of understanding and action you need to take as well as provide a handy email script that will impress your new employer.
 
There are three important ways you can make an impact:
Get to know your role
Get to know your office/team
Show up as a profession
There are also three important steps that apply to each of these action categories.
Listen/Observe
Understand/Clarify
Take Action
Here is a summary of the show:
[00:50] - Melanie introduces the episode and why it's important to keep your "foot on the gas" once you get the job.
[02:30] - Listener shout-out time! Don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts and I will acknowledge it on a future show.
[04:00] - Melanie explains the three categories of actions to take and the three steps that are listed above.
[05:15] - Listen is the most important skill in a new role, even if you have already been in a similar role. No two HR departments are the same so approach your first 90 days with a mindset of curiosity.
[05:53] - Even though you have been hired for a specific role, there is a lot to learn once you get started. There are a lot of reasons why you have more learning to do and most importantly you want to clarify expectations.
[06:44] - Before your first day Melanie recommends you call or send an email to clarify some details about your first day. If you choose an email there is a great script you can use. You can find it here or using the link in the resource section below.
[07:18] - Setting up a meeting with your direct manager or supervisor to get clarity on expectations is a great idea. I list a number of important details you want to clarify.
[12:43] - Make a list of all the questions you would ask your supervisor or manager before your first day so you are prepared for this conversation.
[14:00] - Focus on the tasks that are the most important. This isn't a choice - even if you find them boring or uninteresting. You are new to the role and need to learn the foundation or basics first. Be a team player!
[15:00] - Meet people who are critical to your role as soon as possible and take lots of notes along the way.
[15:56] - The second way to make an impact is to get to know your office or department. Melanie lists a number of things you want to have a good handle on and some steps you can take to do this.
[22:02] - Melanie recaps what we have covered so far and talks about how to show up as a professional in your new role. The pre-start email is discussed with details of what you might include. Again, if you aren't sure what to write, we have created a script you can follow.
[24:47] - Practicing an introduction is also important to showing up as a professional. Tailoring this to the culture of the organization is important. It is also important to focus your attention on the people you are meeting and do what you can to learn about them.
[27:30] - This deserves special attention. Put your PHONE away! You are there to learn and make a positive impression and you won't do this if you are looking at your phone or texting.
[29:13] - Be on time!
[30:00] - A great way to get to know people is to participate.
[30:40] - Clean up after yourself and go the extra mile and clean up after others.
[31:29] - Do the work you were asked to do! It seems silly to say this, but you were hired to do a job and you should be doing that. Nothing is beneath you!
[32:30] - Let's recap what we covered in this episode.
Resources in this episode:
Pre-start Email Script Download
Love the HR Mentor? Become a super fan and get access to exclusive monthly content and help keep the podcast ad free.
Sign up today!
JOIN THE HR MENTOR FAN CLUB!
If you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Podbean
If you love this episode (or any of the others) feel free to leave a like, comment or rating where you are listening.