Master Storyteller

Being a master storyteller is part of the magic formula for knocking the interview out of the park. If you provide static and robotic answers to questions, they don't give employers any insight to your approach or expertise. Responding to interview questions and providing concrete and relevant answers that demonstrate your ability to execute job duties by way of a story may be the most convincing way to win over employers.
Identify potential interview questions and quiz yourself on how you would answer each. Think about a specific story that demonstrates how you solved a problem or made a difference in the company. This is critical to painting the picture of how your skill sets and experience can benefit the company.

Explore your options

It’s important to remain flexible, patient and open-minded as you determine which direction you plan to take.

Management styles

Being an effective manager means knowing when to use the right management style. Some styles are more people-oriented, while others tend to focus on a project or product. The management style you select will depend on your people’s skills and knowledge, available resources (like time and money), desired results, and the task before you. Managing without a specific style can slow you down and even lead to costly mistakes.

Participatory Style
Here, you give each employee an entire task to complete. If that's not possible, make sure the individual knows and understands his or her part as it relates to the project or task. When people on your team know where they fit in the big picture, they're more likely to be motivated to complete the task. Reward not only jobs well done, but motivation as well. This will maintain the momentum and let people know that you have faith in their efforts. This style of leadership often leads to more effective and accurate decisions, since no leader can be an expert in all areas.

Directing Style
Sometimes a direct style of management is needed. A tight deadline looms, or the project involves numerous employees and requires a top-down management approach. This style may seem cold and impersonal, but you still have an opportunity to be a motivating and accessible manager. Your communication must be detail-oriented, unambiguous, and free of jargon. You need to set clear, short-term goals like, “Your goal is to complete one report each day". This style is best used in situations where the leader needs to rely on qualified employees. The leader cannot be an expert in all situations, which is why it is important to delegate certain tasks out to knowledgeable and trustworthy employees.

Left brain vs right brain

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

Leadership Attributes

- Confidence
- Enthusiasm
- Passion for excellence
- Professionalism
- Detail orientated
- Stress tolerance
- Discipline to execute according to standards
- Intense focus on accountability
- Proactive approach to business
- Urgency and speed of response

- Think critically
- Organize, plan, and prioritize work while being flexible to changing needs
- Influence agendas and outcomes through persuasive and cogent dialog
- Work effectively and strategically

Social networking at work

There is a growing concern about the impact social networking is having on a persons professional brand, especially when it comes to workplace productivity. Many spend a good portion of their day checking personal email, facebooking and tweeting. Not to mention surfing the web, looking up recipes or shopping on-line.
The problem is that people tend to post issues that are unprofessional or reflect badly on their own work ethics. More concerning is that they are friending their managers who are reading this stuff. Posting that you hate Mondays, can't wait until Friday, reports due again, using colorful language, complaining and sharing your troubles with the world has its own message to send which may deteriorate your Brand imagine.

Reference Checks

Reference checking is part of the validation step of a good hiring process. Hiring managers need to validate that what candidates tell them during the interview is true. One way to do this is by talking to a reference and asking them about what the candidate told you during the interview. You can ask the reference, “Colleen mentioned to me that she was the lead person implementing the new payroll and vendor management systems in North America Centers. Can you describe for me her role and what she accomplished in this implementation?"
Does the reference’s story match up to what the Collen said?
Does the reference validate the outcome, the scope of the project, the scope of what Colleen did, the budget, the challenges, etc?

A good rule of thumb is to wait no longer than 10 days following the interview before making the call.
Keep your follow up phone conversation professional and low key. Tell the interviewer you are following up on the interview to see if there is any additional information the company would like you to provide.

Proven record

Colleen is ardent and focused on developing and achieving a strategic vision that enables teamwork, while maintaining high personal integrity and ethical standards. She has advanced skills in balancing strategic and operational issues, facilitating leadership development and developing strong talent, all partnered with a balanced perspective and a good sense of humor. Colleen has a proven track record in managing and running large recruitment programs and major projects within F500 companies

Friend or not?

Technology isn't just blurring the lines between work and home anymore. Now it's also blurring the lines between bosses and employees, as managers increasingly "friend" some employees on Facebook and recommend other workers on social networking sites like LinkedIn.

E-verify

The authorization for E-Verify, the federal government's electronic employment verification system, has been extended for three more years, through the end of September 2012

HR Leader

An accomplished Human Resource Professional with proven expertise building supportive employee cultures by leading staffing, talent acquisition, performance management, organizational development, strategic planning, employee relations and employee training & development programs that translate business imperatives into organizational capabilities. Strong intellectual capability, superior judgment skills, excellent decision making capacity coupled with leadership and management skills that encourage an environment of performance. Highly developed analytical skills to successfully evaluate issues, offer alternatives, and create solutions, superior ability to drive business initiatives with forward-looking and systemic human resource strategies.
* Policy Development
* Employee/Labor Relations
* Organizational Development
* Strong Business Acumen
* Project Management
* Strategic & Workforce Planning
* Recruiting Hourly to C–level
* Performance Reviews
* Compensation
* Field/Division/HQ/Corp
* Succession Planning
* Multi State/Site Wage & Hour
* Budget/P&L/Financial Acumen
* Safety and Health
* Annual Merit & Bonus review