Personal Career Pursuits - Essay Example

A reflective portfolio of my personal career pursuits BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE HERE TABLE OF CONTENTS 0 Introduction 2.0 Skills audit 3.0 Utilising IT to build a professional online identity 4.0 Career development plan 5.0 A critical reflection of my career journey 6.0 Conclusion References Appendices A: Sample Job Description from a Leader in Online Recruitment – Monster.com B: A strategy map illustrating inter-dependencies that must be considered by a competent HR Manager C: Sample of Axioms delivered by a real-world HR Manager facilitated through Facebook. 1.0 Introduction This portfolio consists of personal reflections related to career development and planning as I pursue a position related to my ultimate goal of landing a career position in the domain of human resources. The portfolio consists of a skills audit, identifying strengths and weaknesses in comparison to professional standards as a human resources manager. Additionally, the report explores the utilisation of information technology as a means of communicating experience, personal and professional achievements and skills development relevant for an HR-related position. The portfolio further provides a 3-year career development plan with an emphasis on how I will further enhance my competencies as a professional in HR. Supplemented with a critical reflection of experiences along my career journey, the report highlights learning that occurred as a result of this journey and through reflexive practices. 2.0 Skills audit In the position of Human Resources Manager, there are many professional standards and expectations for this career professional. This role is multi-faceted and requires substantial competencies and knowledge in order to fulfil all role obligations. Most significant is the ability of the HR Manager to develop a strategic approach to managing people within an organisation, primarily building human capital advantages, in order to achieve organisational goals and objectives (Armstrong 2007). HR managers are instrumental in assisting an organisation toward achievement of competitive advantages. An HR manager must utilise a soft and hard approach to people leadership. Soft HRM tactics include creating strategies to motivate workers, improve communications between management and employees, whilst also developing leadership competencies in line managers that work directly with employees (Armstrong 2003). The hard approach to HR management is creating HR policies and procedures under the ideology that employees can be managed rationally, similar to any other tangible resource, to achieve maximum return (Armstrong 2007). Hence, under both approaches (hard and soft), the HR Manager creates job descriptions, develops pay and incentive systems, trains managers on coaching and mentoring strategies (Monster 2015), ensures compliance to regulatory frameworks, is directly responsible for recruitment, and establishes disciplinary systems (as well as reward systems) that ensure performance standards are being met by employees under the HR Manager’s guidance. In today’s organisations, recruitment of top talent is instrumental to whether an organisation is competitive and productive. A recent survey conducted by the Society of Human Resource Management found that the workforce, itself, contributes to 70 percent of all operating expenses for the organisation (Visier 2012). Hence, it is critical that an organisation hires a competent HR manager that understands how best to allocate and manage employees in order to control operating expenditures whilst also achieving the development of a motivating and productive work environment. An HR Manager, therefore, must exhibit competencies such as analytical thinking (Armstrong and Mitchell 2008), excellent interpersonal communications (Du-Babcock 2006), illustrate the ability to role model desired behaviours, and properly motivate managers and employees alike as a means of improving organisational performance (Neal, West and Paterson 2005). The HR Manager must also be extremely proficient in organisation skills, due to the multi-faceted inter-dependencies between human capital development and the achievement of identified organisational goals and objectives (See Appendix B). Having identified the main competencies that are required of an HR Manager, it is appropriate to conduct a candid and truthful evaluation of my personal skills and competencies as it relates to the HR Management role. Figure 1: Skills Audit Template Skills required in HR Manager Role Weakness or Strength? Improvement Required Interpersonal communications – conducting meetings, coordinating internal collaboration with employees and managers, presentations. Strength – Personally very extroverted. Confident in public speaking. Yes. Weak in delegation, a crucial component to efficient management of all value chain activities (Richter 2011). Analytical skills Weakness – To be an effective HR Manager, the ability to analyse quantitative data is essential to align human capital with economic goals. Yes. Seek a course in quantitative reasoning that focuses on how to interpret mathematical models and numerical statistics. Conduct practice in analysing corporate annual reports to gain experience in linking finance with strategy. Role modelling desirable behaviours Strength – a strong, inherent ethical and moral code. No. Role modelling is an essential aspect of quality leadership to gain followership (Fairholm 2009). The ability to organise Strength – Having an academically-supported understanding of the inter-dependencies of an organisation provides the capability to analyse how to align divisional activity with corporate strategy Yes. A weakness in taking mental analyses and putting them into presentations and reports for senior management. Seek knowledge from journals about constructing reports to facilitate a better justification for decision-making in the role of HR Manager A competent HR Manager must also have the ability to collaborate with others to identify solutions to organisational problems. I have identified an inherent weakness in this competency, as I sustain a very high level of self-efficacy and trust in my own decision-making. Grieves (2010) asserts that change must be negotiated with others in order to avoid resistance. In the role of HR Manager, change is constant and must be implemented productively. My high self-efficacy has always been an issue in relation to taking the advices and suggestions of others. Maltby, Day and Macaskill (2007) iterate that overly-high levels of self-efficacy can be detrimental in an environment that requires collaboration and consultation with others. I will require more experience working in groups, a team methodology, if I am to overcome this inherent resistance as it pertains to maintaining distance in decision-making. The role of HR Manager will require substantial collaboration, a type of communities of practice ideology, and my inherent over-confidence in my own decision-making could impact motivation to follow my suggestions and the ability to problem solve in key areas of the organisation. Communities of practice are when disparate individuals, each maintaining specific tacit knowledge, come together to discuss a common interest and solve problems (Schenkel and Teigland 2008; Wenger 2005; Wenger and Snyder 2000; McDermott 1999). It is not reasonable in this role to expect that a single individual, who is responsible for handling complex tasks, to identify solutions to problems independently, especially when there is reliance on line management to provide feedback on operations and human contributions to productivity. 3.0 Utilising IT to build a professional online identity Research shows that 66 percent of organisations use social media as a means of enhancing recruitment (Talent Square 2015). The most common social media sites that facilitate recruitment are LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook (Recruitment Buzz 2013). Yet another survey shows that 94 percent of recruiters currently use or plan to incorporate social media as an effective means of recruiting talent (Medved 2014). More astounding is that over 10 million applicants have landed their desired position on LinkedIn (Medved). Hence, with so much professional interest in using social media for recruitment, it is imperative to have an online presence and build a self-branding strategy to make myself stand out over other applicants. Social media is becoming the predominant recruitment methodology today. When job-seeking, networking is one of the most fundamental advantages that an individual seeking employment can attain (De Janasz and Forret 2013). Using social media to network breaks down geographic barriers for meeting and interacting with other career professionals, allowing for a broader networking capability. Kay (2004) iterates that when an individual is able to create positive interpersonal connections through networking, it establishes a foundation of trust that is perceived by recruiters as a predominant measure of future business success. As a result, I have begun an exploration of the most popular social media sites for recruitment and analysed the different two-way communications that facilitate developing a networked relationship with potential employers. In my exhaustive search through Facebook, I identified one HR Manager at a firm called Rising Consultancy with an obvious passion and interest in contemporary human resources. Using my Facebook account, I began establishing rhetoric with this professional, illustrating an interest in learning more about best practices in HR and how to effectively land a career by promoting my legitimate interest in the HR Management field. Nearly every day, having built a foundation of trust and mutual interest, the HR manager began sending a variety of inspirational axioms that could assist in landing an HR-related position. (See Appendix C). Concurrently, this HR Manager with real-world experience consistently forwarded links to potential entry-level or low-level experience HR positions that might befit my knowledge level and interest. She was instrumental, as well, in facilitating social media discussions with other relevant HR professionals domestically and internationally. Taylor (2006) asserts that networking increases an individual’s perceived value and attracts other professionals to one’s established network. The HR Manager with whom I was able to build a positive correspondence through social media facilitated introductions with a wide variety of HR professionals ready to consult, offer advice, and deliver links to relevant positions in my field. Whilst I did not maintain a great deal of practical experience as an HR professional, I was able to showcase my determination, commenting as often as possible on Facebook to ensure that my name stayed on the forefront of other HR professionals’ minds, which is asserted by Hays (2015) as being critical for successful networking and finding opportunities. Whilst my choice of how to utilise social media was a bit unorthodox, without simply creating a LinkedIn account to showcase my resume, it did create strong interpersonal relationships with many different professionals that shared the same passion and interest in the domain of HR. Following the online profiles of real-world professionals, making complimentary comments on Facebook and other social media sites, and respecting the experience of these professionals was fundamental in establishing my knowledge of best practices for HR role job searching, how to construct engaging and rememberable letters of motivation and find potential job opportunities by having the endorsement of professionals in an established network that gave me an advantage in having my CV evaluated. 4.0 Career development plan Career development planning involve determining one’s specific career goals and objectives and creating a detailed set of plans to will assist in enhancing one’s skills that allow them to reach short- and long-term aspirations (Holland 2011). This type of planning is critical for one’s professional future as it aligns their talents and knowledge with real-world job role expectations to ensure that one is employable and deemed talented in a desired career field. The role of HR Manager is constantly evolving, with new expectations and requirements being added to job descriptions in this field, requiring an individual to maintain a very diverse set of competencies to be a success in this position (Smith and Mazin 2011). Hence, in order to be considered a viable candidate for the role of HR Manager, one must develop a plan that will improve and evolve skills and knowledge bases with a focus on continuous improvement. The first step in my career development plan was to establish a realistic and truthful mission statement that would guide the majority of decision-making, as suggested by Reardon, et al. (2012) that guides emotions and provides a framework for career direction. Having an understanding of my strengths, weaknesses and motivations, I constructed a viable mission statement. “To land a position that allows me to make the most of my inherent potential and secure a position that allows for achievement of organisational authority. A position that allows me to leverage my desire for achievement with ample opportunities for job role independence whilst consistently exceeding my compensation goals.” Hence, my career development plan includes building a knowledge base related to how to effectively build an assertive communications strategy. Ford, Ford and D’Amelio (2008) iterate that managers that facilitate continuous change are often subjected to irrational responses and emotionally-charged resistances that challenge change implementation. Having identified assertiveness as a fundamental weakness that could potentially inhibit maintaining a position with considerable clout and authority within an organisation, I considered the advice of Fisher and Ury (1998) who suggested that an individual seeking a power position must exhibit self-confidence and assert one’s agenda strongly. I have, historically, been more passive in professional and academic-related situations that have made it difficult to gain follower commitment and coerced others to reject my ideas and direction. Hence, my career development plan includes criteria for self-improvement as it pertains to gaining knowledge about building an assertive communications style and learning to incorporate this during interviews, after landing a position, and when working with diverse professionals known to challenge change initiatives. This will be fundamental as a leader in HR management. My career development plan, additionally, includes criteria for understanding what motivational strategies are most effective and relevant in real-world situations. This includes an effort at exploring empirical studies in small and large-sized organisations that produced qualitative and quantitative data about what strategies work in relation to cultural differences and organisational variety. I have emphasised a need to explore empirically-supported best practices and learning how to incorporate these findings into real-world HR strategy and policy implementation to create a unified culture and ensure minimal change resistance. A copy of the career development plan is included in this portfolio’s appendices section. Furthermore, having identified a weakness in motivation to collaborate with others and accept the opinion and suggestions of others, my career development plan includes direction for understanding best practices in what facilitates a sense of membership that is critical for gaining followership (Leigh and Maynard 2002). Motivating commitment and a desire to follow my direction is absolutely essential as an HR Manager and I require strategies to strengthen this competency if I am to make positive changes within a contemporary organisation. 5.0 A critical reflection of my career journey Developing a CV is the most fundamental method of achieving career success. I have participated in two workshops to develop a more effective and eye-catching CV which has assisted in producing my final version that I believe will be effective in giving me more positive visibility when applying for HR management roles. Such practice sessions in CV creation allowed me to build a more competent and eye-catching list of skills and experiences that is crucial for creating a positive first impression with recruiters. It was necessary to reflect on whether I was truly engaging in critical evaluation of my strengths and weaknesses as it pertains to landing a desired position. True reflexive behaviours involve reflecting on one’s actions to determine whether one is properly considering a continuous learning approach (Wolfensberger, et al. 2010). It is through the process of reflection that an individual examines their emotional state, motivations and compares real-world obligations with one’s skill set that can improve knowledge and comprehension about what steps are required to prepare oneself for a desired career (Paterson and Chapman 2013). It is so much more than just a CV that determines whether one would be considered employable and talented in the field of HR. I delivered many online applications to organisations that were befitting my criteria for intriguing employment, but was not receiving any responses. I began to reflect on whether I was following proper job-seeking strategies or using language that was deemed improper by recruiting managers. Through consultation with my online network in social media and by examining literature on best practices in job seeking and reviewing samples (online) of how to create an impressionable application, I found that my cover letters and letters of motivation were not using language that stood out over that of competing job seekers. I had not been taking the time to address the cover letters to the real-world recruiter responsible for assessing new applications. Walter (2009) deems this a personalisation touch that gets a cover letter noticed. I was also not effectively illustrating how my talents and knowledge can potentially solve problems that an organisation might have, again iterated by Walter (2009) as being a relevant methodology for gaining attention in a competitive pile of applications. My cover letters and letters of motivation were rather dry and without a personalised touch. After altering these cover letters to illustrate how I can benefit the organisation and were addressed to the legitimate recruiter, responses increased. Reflection found I was not utilising what is referred to as perceptive sensitivity which was causing my resumes to be dismissed. Not using reflective practice was not allowing me to challenge assumptions about what would be desirable and interesting in a cover letter or letter of motivation, something iterated by Alevesson (2003) as being instrumental to learning. Furthermore, when considering why I was facing barriers to gaining an initial interview with companies, I used reflective practice to consider whether I was properly promoting my talents or was utilising terminology that was undesirable by recruiters. I began to question whether I was using age-old strategies instead of evolved, contemporary strategies to gain recruiter interest. I found an interesting strategy offered by Khadder (2010) that suggested using a “hook” in a cover letter that showed off one’s knowledge of the company they were applying to. Through reflective practice, I came to the logical conclusion that I required additional research into modern best practices in job-seeking. I concluded that by not spotlighting how my talents could be applied directly to a specific organisation, it was not creating a positive and lasting first impression which was creating a barrier to being considered as a viable candidate. Reflection also identified that I was not appropriately versed in preparing myself for competency-based interviewing strategies utilised by contemporary organisations. In general, I maintained a strong belief that my actual experiences and academic credentials would be the foundation for the majority of discussion that occurred between myself and a job interviewer. In one situation, I attended an interview for an entry-level position as an HR management assistant. However, I was unprepared for the type of questions asked and I did not, as a result, land this position. I was asked about my teamwork competencies, asked to give specific examples of how I, historically, had handled specific situations involving deadlines, managing conflict, and in accountability to senior managers. Being unprepared for these types of questions illustrated that I had not conducted appropriate levels of self-motivated research on how to react and respond to a competency-based interview session. The manager seemed less concerned about my academic credentials and more about how I would (or had historically) handled real-world situations in an organisational context. Being a perceptive individual, I noticed negative body language related to the quality and relevancy of my responses and was fairly certain that I had failed to make a positive first impression. Hence, I began reflecting on my current level of knowledge and competency in the interview process which indicated a need to explore recruiter strategies with a competency-based ideology to better prepare me for providing interview responses that would be deemed congruent with best practice management activity in a structured organisation with an emphasis on teamwork and collaboration. 6.0 Conclusion Through reflective practice, conducting a thorough and in-depth (as well as truthful) critical examination of my strengths, weaknesses and limitations, I discovered that I required substantial improvement to become an effective HR Manager and be deemed as viable and valuable for a real-world organisation. I discovered through this reflective journey that I needed more knowledge and experience in quantitative analyses, learning about how to delegate effectively, build an assertive communications style, and improve language in cover letters that are viable tools for gaining meaningful and valuable employment in the HR field. Recognising one’s need for improvement and learning how to build on existing talents and knowledge assists in facilitating a more effective methodology to gain employment and be a success as an HR Manager. References Alvesson, M. 2003. Beyond neopositivists, romantics and localists: a reflexive approach to interviews in organizational research, Academy of Management Review, 28(1), pp.13-33. Armstrong, M. (2007). Armstrong’s handbook of strategic human resource management, 5th edn. London: Kogan Page. Armstrong, M. (2003). A handbook of human resource management practice, 9th edn. London: Kogan Page. Armstrong, S. and Mitchell, B. (2008). The essential HR handbook: a quick and handy resource for any manager or HR professional. Franklin Lakes: Career Press. De Janasz, S. and Forret, M.L. (2013). Learning the art of networking: a critical skill for enhancing social capital and career success, Journal of Management Education, 32(5), pp.629-650. Du-Babcock, B. (2006). Teaching business communication: past, present and future, Journal of Business Communication, 43(3), pp.253-264. Fairholm, M. (2009). Leadership and organisational strategy, The Public Sector Innovation Journal, 14(1), pp.26-27. Fisher, R. and Ury, W. (1998). Getting to yes: negotiating agreement without giving in. London: Penguin Books. Ford, J.D., Ford, L.W. and D’Amelio, A. (2008). Resistance to change: The rest of the story, Academy of Management Review, 33(2), pp.362-377. Grieves, J. (2010). Organisational change: themes and issues. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hays. (2015). How to build your personal brand online. [online] Available at: http://www.hays.co.uk/career-advice/how-to-build-your-personal-brand-online-1188217 (accessed 17 January 2015). Holland, J.M. (2011). Career development planning: getting students on the right track, Techniques, 86(2), pp.8-9. Kay, F. (2004). Brilliant business connections – how powerful networking can transform you and your company’s performance. Oxford: How to Books. Khadder, T. (2010). Mistake: a weak opening. [online] Available at: http://college.monster.com/benefits-entry-level-resume/articles/898-5-cover-letters-that-worked?page=6 (accessed 19 January 2015). Leigh, A. and Maynard, M. (2002). Leading your team: how to involve and inspire teams. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Maltby, J., Day, L. and Macaskill, A. (2007). Personality, individual differences and intelligence. Harlow: Pearson Prentice Hall. McDermott, R. (1999). Learning across teams: how to build communities of practice in team organizations, Knowledge Management Review, 8, pp.32-36. Medved, J.P. (2014). Top 15 recruiting statistics for 2014. [online] Available at: http://blog.capterra.com/top-15-recruiting-statistics-2014/ (accessed 17 January 2015). Monster. (2015). Recruiting and hiring advice: human resource manager job description sample. [online] Available at: http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/job-descriptions/human-resources-manager-job-description-sample.aspx (accessed 15 January 2015). Neal, A., West, M. and Paterson, M. (2005). Do organisational climate and competitive strategy moderate the relationship between human resource management and productivity?, Journal of Management, 31(4), pp.492-512. Paterson, C. and Chapman, J. 2013. Enhancing skills of critical reflection to evidence learning in professional practice, Physical Therapy in Sport, 14(3), pp.133-138. Reardon, R., Lenz, J., and Peterson, G. (2012). Career development and planning: a comprehensive approach. Kendall Hunt Publishing. Recruitment Buzz. (2013). Social media audit 2012 – recruitment has become social. [online] Available at: http://recruitmentbuzz.co.uk/social-media-audit-2012-recruitment-has-become-social-infographic/ (accessed 16 January 2015). Richter, L. (2011). How does delegation affect a company? [online] Available at: http://www.brighthub.com/office/human-resources/articles/101608.aspx (accessed 14 January 2015). Schenkel, A. and Teigland, R. (2008). Improved organisational performance through communities of practice, Journal of Knowledge Management, 12(1), pp.106-118. Smith, S. and Mazin, R. (2011). The HR answer book: an indispensible guide for managers and human resource professionals. New York: AMACOM Books. Talent Square. (2015). Three infographics on recruitment that will make you think. [online] Available at: http://www.talentsquare.com/blog/3-infographics-recruitment-will-make-think/ (accessed 13 January 2015). Taylor, J. (2006). Monster careers: networking. New York: Penguin. Visier. (2012). From HR metrics to workforce analytics: five key workforce insights that every employer should capture for greater business impact. [online] Available at: http://www.workforce.com/ext/resources/Resource-Center-Downloads/WFM_Assets_CPL/Visier/Visier_Workforce_Analytics_5_Critical_Indicators_White_Paper.pdf?1372871757 (accessed 14 January 2015). Walter, G. (2009). 12 best practices for a winning cover letter [online] Available at: http://www.biospace.com/News/12-best-practices-for-a-winning-cover-letter-part/153100 (accessed 17 January 2015). Wenger, E.C. (2005). Communities of practice: a brief introduction. [online] Available at: http:// www.ewenger.com/theory/index.htm (accessed 16 January 2015). Wenger, E. and Snyder, W. (2000). Communities of practice: the organisational frontier, Harvard Business Review (Jan/Feb), pp.139-145. Wolfensberger, B., Piniel, J., Canella, C. and Kyburz-Graber, R. 2010. The challenge of involvement in reflective teaching: three case studies from a teacher education project on conducting classroom discussions on socio-scientific issues, Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(3), pp.714-721. Appendix A: Sample Job Description from a Leader in Online Recruitment – Monster.com Human Resources Manager Job Description Sample This human resource manager sample job description can assist in your creating a job application that will attract job candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this job description to meet your specific job duties and job requirements. Human Resources Manager Job Responsibilities: Maintains and enhances the organizations human resources by planning, implementing, and evaluating employee relations and human resources policies, programs, and practices. Human Resources Manager Job Duties: Maintains the work structure by updating job requirements and job descriptions for all positions. Maintains organization staff by establishing a recruiting, testing, and interviewing program; counseling managers on candidate selection; conducting and analyzing exit interviews; recommending changes. Prepares employees for assignments by establishing and conducting orientation and training programs. Maintains a pay plan by conducting periodic pay surveys; scheduling and conducting job evaluations; preparing pay budgets; monitoring and scheduling individual pay actions; recommending, planning, and implementing pay structure revisions. Ensures planning, monitoring, and appraisal of employee work results by training managers to coach and discipline employees; scheduling management conferences with employees; hearing and resolving employee grievances; counseling employees and supervisors. Maintains employee benefits programs and informs employees of benefits by studying and assessing benefit needs and trends; recommending benefit programs to management; directing the processing of benefit claims; obtaining and evaluating benefit contract bids; awarding benefit contracts; designing and conducting educational programs on benefit programs. Ensures legal compliance by monitoring and implementing applicable human resource federal and state requirements; conducting investigations; maintaining records; representing the organization at hearings. Maintains management guidelines by preparing, updating, and recommending human resource policies and procedures. Maintains historical human resource records by designing a filing and retrieval system; keeping past and current records. Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies. Completes human resource operational requirements by scheduling and assigning employees; following up on work results. Maintains human resource staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees. Maintains human resource staff job results by counseling and disciplining employees; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results. Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed. Human Resources Manager Skills and Qualifications: Hiring, Human Resources Management, Benefits Administration, Performance Management, Communication Processes, Compensation and Wage Structure, Supports Diversity, Classifying Employees, Employment Law, Laws Against Sexual Harassment, Organization Appendix B: A strategy map illustrating inter-dependencies that must be considered by a competent HR Manager Source: Iveta, G. (2012). Human resources key performance indicators, Journal of Competitiveness, 4(1), pp.117-128 This strategy map considers how the HR manager is instrumental in improving financial performance of the organisation, considering customer-related issues, improving the internal organisational environment, and emphasising learning and growth for employees and managers. Appendix C: Sample of Axioms delivered by a real-world HR Manager facilitated through Facebook. Comment: Remember, always stay diligent and network, network, network! Comment: Do know the difference between management and leadership. Include this distinction on your cover letter and other letters of motivation when applying to a business. Thanks, as always, for your interest in the dynamic field of HRM. Be a leader and not the boss. PLACE YOUR CV AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLAN HERE AS APPENDICES Read More