Your HR Career

Up ‘shift’: 9 tricks to turbocharge your computer skills

06/16/2009

We all know the “basics” when it comes to computers, right? Not necessarily. One person’s everyday shortcut may be another person’s “Cool! I didn’t know you could do that!” Try these nine keyboard and mouse tricks right now.

How strategic are you? An 8-question test

06/02/2009

CEOs want their HR leaders to break outside the operational box and become more strategic players. But many HR pros are so bogged down by daily process, they have trouble lifting their heads out of the weeds. Here’s a self-assessment to help you gauge the strategic value you bring to your organization.

Study: Layoffs harm health of those who conduct them

06/01/2009

Don’t expect a lot of sympathy from laid-off workers, but a decade-long study says people who conduct layoffs suffer from a higher rate of ulcers, sleep problems and heart trouble.

Develop the 3 business skills that CEOs want most

05/26/2009

More than ever, top execs are seeking HR professionals with business skills to help shape organizational strategy. Here are the top business skills that experts and surveys say executives want in HR professionals …

Dump the slump: 14 ways to energize staff

05/19/2009

The recession has plenty of employees distracted and anxious—about their jobs, their 401(k)s and their monthly bills. That’s not good news at a time when you need to squeeze every ounce of productivity from your employees. These 14 tips can motivate shell-shocked employees.

What to do if boss pushes you to hire his unqualified friend

05/05/2009

Say a company exec asks you to hire his relative or friend, or he not so subtly urges you to give the application “strong consideration.” You want to reject the candidate because he’s obviously unqualified. But you don’t want to commit career suicide. What do you do?

6 tips for handling a call from the local media

05/05/2009

In a small shop, public relations is just the kind of “other duties as assigned” that often falls to HR. Don’t wait until a reporter calls to develop a basic communications strategy. Six tips can guide you through the sometimes intimidating process of interacting with the media.

Google keeps the cool tools coming: 4 smart add-ons

04/28/2009

Thanks to Google’s policy of allowing employees time each week to work on pet projects, the company is forever unleashing new tools to improve your googleability. These four new tools could make you more fluent, more efficient and better-informed.

Your next job: An HR consultant?

04/27/2009

Although it may seem counterintuitive, there are many good reasons to launch a one-person HR consultancy as the economy sputters. Despite the layoffs and budget cuts, downsized organizations are still hiring HR consultants and contractors to perform a range of basic services.

Length of layoff: How long until it hurts your career?