If you have a job, should you look for one in a bad economy?



The Holidays are always a good time to reflect. With all the hours most of us are putting in these days (at work), having a couple of days off are good for mind and body. Many of my friends are unhappy in their current jobs.

So the question posed is if you have a job, should you look for one in a bad economy.

This is a unique question as Forrester and Neilson research could do studies, but the results are just opinions...no facts. So what should you do. from an Hrinsider perspective you should at least do the dance. Go on the interviews and accumulate opportunities. To start with, there is no decision without an offer. Second your company is focused on the bottom line, not on you. So looking out for #1 should be your #1 priority.

Third knowing your value is never a bad thing.

Can't tell you what to do, just do something.

Living in the Grey Zone

Management and HR often get caught in ambiguity or in the grey zone of right and wrong. What appears to some as clear cut is in reality just a matter of perception, and specifically the perception of the individual viewing a situation (or acting as part of the situation).
Ok lets use a specific example: The boss asks the staff person to tell a lie to protect the company in the market place. The staff person gains trust and eventually is promoted as a result. Happens every day of the week...to some this is fine and to others this is totally wrong...depends on who is viewing and where they are viewing this. In almost all situations this will go totally unnoticed, but add another element, lets say the staff person now gets invited out to dinner or for drinks after work, maybe the staff person is of the other sex and it appears to have some sexual overtones...well you know where this is going...and maybe the trust leads to sharing of business information that should not be shared, at least with someone in a junior role. These types of situations happen everyday, sometimes they evolve to something more serious (and more black and white) we can deal with this. There are rules and procedures and handbooks to refer to...but life is not black and white...what do you do when you see something that is GREY. Do you act or sit back...what makes us accept bad or inappropriate behavior. Are we part of the problem or solution?

So I have been off a while, doing my day time gig. Some of my colleagues are getting in the game. One of them is OD a la Carte http://odalacarte.blogspot.com/ , a definite read in the future. I know the Aficionado personally...and you should too!

It's election time!

The biggest topics both nationally and locally center around HR:

Jobs, Health care, and union rights are all at the top of the agenda. All hot topics for HR professionals big and small. How will our choices effect our future? That's a tough one.

The good part is that HR is in the middle of all these conversations and each of us can help shape the future...Will be back soon to see who gets in and what gets passed...It's going to be a busy winter!!!

A Quick post like the Flash

From the field calling in for a quick shout out:

One of the best HR sites around is "Inflexion Point". A recent post on whether HR should "Do nothing", has drawn a lot of interest and comment...At HRinsiders we believe in continually moving, if for no other reason to avoid drowning. But seriously, as insiders we believe in evolution and continuous change...We also think HR has a lot to bring to the dance, now and in the future...

We will be back soon to discuss this further (it's late and as super hero's there are lots of villains to fight- so we gotta go), for now you can go over to the post at http://www.inflexionadvisors.com/blog/index.php

Enjoy!

Why be Anonymous?

From the "corner office":

So before we get to any interesting subjects and conversations, I thought I would answer the obvious question/ why be anonymous?

Well there are a few reasons. One is that I have a daytime gig and we have certain "rules" about blogging and social media. In fact most of my colleagues who will be chiming in from time to time will also be anonymous for the same reason. I like to think of my team as the justice league of blogging...they are all leaders in their area of expertise, interesting, funny and intriguing. The members of the justice league all have alter egos during the day so we have a lot in common!

Second it leaves a little more to the imagination and adds to the experience of reading. If you want pure news read the Wall Street Journal, if you want a great blogging experience...look no further. There are so many bloggers out there doing the HR thing. We are a little off the beaten track, maybe a little on the edge...anyway a few weeks from now when we are fully up and running we hope you will agree. If not you get to write in and tell us what you think.

Now back to my first comment: dealing with the reality of RULES at work, especially rules about social media...well not everybody is an early adopter and some companies don't adopt till it's to late like buying an 8 track or a beta max for a discount only to find out the real reason (being obsolete)...I am not passing judgement, just stating what is....If your reading this post you already have an opinion on blogging so I am not going to preach to the choir. The future is here and HR practitioners need to work hard as evangelists of change in relaxing social media policies.
Enough said for now...
- "The ring leader"

Welcome to HRinsider

From the "corner office":

I work for a large multinational by day. I blog and dabble in social media when I am not busy making money and saving the world (at least the world I inhabit during day light hours). No I am no superhero, however I act like one in terms of keeping my identity secret. Think of me as the Clark Kent of HR blogging. I will be weighing in every week on today's most pressing people topics and adding in a little personal spice for good measure.

have a topic or a question? fire away...

I'll be back in a few days with my first real post.

- "The ring leader"