TM - April 2008 - (Page 14) [letters to the editor] Job Hunting in Talent Management Mr. Stolovitch, My name is William Edwards. I read your article in Talent Management magazine and enjoyed every word. I want to devote myself to ensuring the hiring of talent, not another statistic toward turnover. I have personally built tools involving cultural fit and simulations, and I have interviewed close to 100 candidates using knowledge, skills tests and behavioral interview questions. I am a senior at Texas A&M University and want to go into human capital consulting after graduation in May. I was wondering what positions are open for recent graduates. Respectfully, William Edwards Texas A&M University Class of 2008 Response: Hi William, Thanks for the kind words. With respect to positions, this is a tricky issue. One rarely finds openings for “human capital consultants” per se. I recommend reviewing the ISPI and ASTD job banks located within their Web sites. The nature of the jobs (the descriptions) provides cues as to what they are hunting for. Also look for positions related to performance consulting, human resource management and human resource development. Sometimes, you find a position that sort of fits what you are looking for. Once in the job, you can begin to demonstrate the value-add of your perspective. Another route is to contact performance consulting companies and offer to do an internship there. Then, show your stuff. If you’re great, they will want to hire you. McKinsey, Accenture and KPMG or Deloitte are the big guns. Search out some of the smaller consulting groups as well. You also might want to contact companies with strong track records in human capital management and inquire about positions. Nordstrom, Federal Express, Lexus and General Electric are a few names that come to mind. CDW is moving in this direction. change people and would subscribe to many of the points put forth in the book First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman. It is much more important to leverage people’s strengths than to focus on deficiencies and try to improve them. Of course, there are some deficiencies that cannot be overlooked, and this is where I believe 360 degree feedback does work. I think that every company should have as part of its performance measurement and evaluation It is much more programs, a formalized 360 degree feedimportant to back mechanism that leverage people’s allows for employees to provide feedback for strengths than their co-workers, manto focus on agers or employees. As a manager, I have deficiencies. found this is critical to ensure that there is not a disconnect between how well I think someone is doing their job versus how well their Read the journals to see who is doperformance is perceived by others ing excellent work. Don’t hesitate with whom they interact. to contact them. If you have limited experience, go relatively cheap It may not be that 360 degree feedto gain experience. You can always back is the best tool for helping to renegotiate based on your demon- develop talent, but it is surely valustrated worth to the organization. able in determining one’s overall performance, especially if there I hope that this helps. are internal customers or crossPeace and success, functional teams involved. There is nothing worse than having to work Harold with someone who is supposed to support you as an internal cus360 Feedback That tomer who has no self awareness, Works leaves dead bodies in their wake Here are a couple of comments on and yet continues to work and be your article about how 360 degree promoted because they get things feedback (“ Alternatives to 360s: The done and their management has no Manager’s Role,” February 2008) idea. Clear and concise 360 degree doesn’t work. I agree with you in that feedback to that person’s manager for the purposes of the “development” is invaluable in identifying defiof talent that rarely does 360 degree ciencies in areas that are integral feedback work. It has been my expe- to the job and providing a mecharience that the feedback you do get is nism through which they can be often skewed depending upon your addressed. personal relationships with the people providing the feedback, and that Sincerely, too often it does focus you on areas Chris LaPak where you are not doing well instead VP Sales Operations , of leveraging your strengths. I am of Ther-Rx Corp. the opinion that it is very difficult to Bridgeton, Mo. 14 April 2008 talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mediatec/tm0208/index.php?startid=27 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mediatec/tm0208/index.php?startid=27 http://www.TalentMgt.com
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