Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I learned a new term recently – p(doom). It stands for the “probability of doom” when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) and a doomsday scenario. P(doom) is a scale that runs from 0 to 100. The higher you score yourself, the more convinced you are that AI is going to wipe out civilization. 

I first read about p(doom) in The New York Times newsletter DealBook where it reported that sharing your p(doom) score is becoming more mainstream and some people are even making it a part of their introduction. “Hi! I’m Sharlyn Lauby, author of HR Bartender. And my p(doom) score is XX.”

Personally, I don’t have a p(doom) score at this point. But it did make me realize that I need to think about it. Not because I need a p(doom) score to share with everyone. But because – as a HR pro – I can’t influence artificial intelligence if I don’t become part of the conversation.

Organizations are talking about AI regularly and HR technology companies are adding AI components to their products. Translation: The technology conversation right now is all about AI. HR professionals cannot wait to enter this conversation. They need to be a part of shaping outcomes. Because artificial intelligence can play a prominent role in talent strategies.

Artificial Intelligence and the Candidate Experience

Organizations have to think about the candidate experience and how people perceive technologies like artificial intelligence. If applicants are suspect of the organization’s talent acquisition process, they could be reluctant to apply. And that has a negative impact on the company’s goal to hire the best employees. 

Artificial Intelligence Can Empower Your Employees

Artificial Intelligence isn’t going away, in fact, I think we will continue to have more conversations about its capabilities. There are benefits to organizations and individuals in reducing administrative work. But organizations should put some dedicated thought and planning into the role that AI will play in their operation. 

If human resources departments want to use artificial intelligence to attract, hire, engage, and retain talent, then they need to ensure that AI is a part of the organization’s technology strategies. 

Organizations Need to Have a Comprehensive Technology Strategy

Today’s technologies are an important part of doing business. And because technology is such a huge component of our personal and professional lives, we need to make sure everyone knows how to properly use it. It starts with understanding the organization’s technology strategy.

Organizations Need an Artificial Intelligence Strategy

An increasing number of candidates and employees are coming to expect modern technology in their work experience. Old technology can be an obstacle to productivity, talent management, and recruiting. Organizations don’t have to be early adopters of every new technology, but they should understand the trends and strategize about what it means for their operation. 

Once organizations have a solid technology strategy in place, that includes new tools like artificial intelligence, then it’s time to think about how it will be implemented throughout the organization. User adoption is key, and employees will need education to embrace AI.

5 Steps to Become an Effective Adopter

Individuals and organizations need to figure out how to become “effective adopters”. Not everyone has to be an early adopter, but you certainly don’t want to be so late to the party that you can’t catch up. 

How to Find the Right Artificial Intelligence Tool for HR

While we’ve been talking about artificial intelligence for a while, it’s still a new tool. But we’re getting to the point where the talk is turning into reality. That’s really exciting. But we need to prepare for it. 

Technologies evolve over time and artificial intelligence will be no exception. But for organizations and HR departments that have been on the sidelines wondering when to join in the conversation … I think that time is now. You will want to have a say in how this technology evolves. Because that benefits your business and your employees.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas, NV

The post HR Professionals Need to Enter the Artificial Intelligence Conversation appeared first on hr bartender.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I mentioned a few months ago that I received a trial membership to MasterClass as part of changing my cellular phone plan. During the trial, I was able to listen to Neil Gaiman, Malala Yousafzai, Neil deGrasse Tyson, RuPaul, Bill Nye, and Dr. Terence Tao. And while I didn’t plan it this way, the last session I listened to about determining a personal brand really brought them all together. 

Roxanne Gay is a writer and podcaster. She is the author of the bestseller “Bad Feminist” and an opinion writer for The New York Times. She is also the author of “World of Wakanda” for Marvel. While Roxanne’s MasterClass was focused on writing for social change, what I walked away with was more about being your unapologetically authentic self in both your personal and professional lives. 

It reminded me of an interview I did a long time ago with Amanda Hite and Dan Schawbel about personal branding. We all have a brand, and we need to be comfortable with it. And if we’re not, it could be valuable to do some self-reflection. Roxanne Gay’s MasterClass talked about six areas that might be helpful to consider as part of a self-reflection exercise.

Make appointments with yourself for the things that matter. I wanted to share this takeaway first because I think it sets the stage for the others. You can call it self-care or me time or whatever. It’s okay to block time off on your calendar for you. Because you are worth it. Identify what’s important to you and make time for it. 

Have a personal code of ethics. In season three of The HR Bartender Show, we talked about ethics mostly in the context of organizational ethics. It’s a good reminder that our personal ethics are important. Many people use the New Year as an opportunity for self-reflection. Maybe it makes sense to add time to think about personal ethics and how it relates to your organization’s ethical standard and personal brand. 

Read and listen to diverse sources. This kinda relates to the first two takeaways. One of the activities that can help us identify what matters is reading and listening to a diverse selection of people. Please note: I did not say that you have to believe or embrace every word they say. I must admit that sometimes the people who frustrate me the most are often ones that help me learn something. There is value in leaving the echo chamber. 

Learn how to research. The definition of research is “the creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge”. It builds on the last takeaway about diverse sources. When I read and listen to things, I often do research to confirm that they are true. Several of the MasterClass sessions I’ve listen to mentioned misinformation and disinformation. We need to learn how to research and identify knowledgeable sources to figure out the truth. 

Find your process. One of my most popular training programs is related to the concept of self-management. In the session, we talk about identifying what makes you productive. If you haven’t asked yourself the question lately, I’d suggest you ask “What makes me my most productive self?” Conversely, also ask, “What makes me my least productive self?” Be prepared to discuss this with your manager and maybe even your family. 

Support your community when you can. I would like to add to this takeaway “with what you can”. It’s not always possible to support our community all the time. Sometimes other things must take priority. But when you can show support for your community – do it. And do it a level that you’re comfortable and capable of.  

Roxanne Gay’s MasterClass was a great reminder that one of the keys to our success is self-awareness. If we want to change or improve an area of our lives, it starts with evaluating where we are right now and where we’d like to be in the future. The world we live in is full of information. Sometimes conflicting information. Knowing ourselves and what we stand for becomes essential in figuring out our personal brand.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV

The post Work On Your Personal Brand In 2024 appeared first on hr bartender.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

Not a day goes by without some news about artificial intelligence (AI). The latest being the ouster – and return – of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The world of AI is exciting, dynamic, and full of potential. Just like human resources. Artificial intelligence is changing our jobs and the HR function. 

Regardless of where you and your organization are regarding AI adoption, it’s important to stay on top of the latest developments. That’s why I asked my friend Carrie Cherveny, chief compliance officer and senior vice president of strategic solutions at HUB International to share her insights with us today. In her role, Carrie works with clients to develop strategies that ensure compliance and risk mitigation when it comes to benefits and employment practices.

Carrie, thanks for being here. Why should human resources professionals embrace artificial intelligence (AI)?

[Cherveny] AI can be used to automate many of the more arduous or mundane processes. That will free up HR to have more meaningful and impactful employee interactions. Let’s replace the hours of work that don’t move the needle with hours of work that can truly improve employee retention and workplace culture.  

• Automate mundane and repetitive tasks
• Data reporting and analysis – dashboards and data summaries – in today’s data driven environment, pivot tables and Excel tools may fall short. Use AI to pare down large volumes of data, such as executive reports and dashboards.
• Build visually pleasing presentations 
• Conduct research – using AI as part of a multi-pronged research project can improve efficiency and reduce research time – however, remember that you should always validate any of your Artificial Intelligence research results (see cautionary tale here).
• Respond to simple employee inquiries – AI can be a great tool to get you started, whether drafting a response to an employee inquiry or composing a speech or a presentation.  

As part of our interview, I asked ChatGPT “How can AI help human resources professionals do their jobs?”. Here are some excerpts from its answer: 

Recruitment and Talent Acquisition:

• Resume Screening: AI can automate the initial screening of resumes, saving time and ensuring a more objective process.
• Candidate Matching: AI algorithms can analyze candidate profiles and match them to job requirements, improving the accuracy of shortlisting.
• Chatbots for Initial Interaction: AI-powered chatbots can engage with candidates, answer FAQs, and collect basic information, streamlining the initial stages of the recruitment process.

Employee Engagement:

• Pulse Surveys and Feedback Analysis: AI tools can analyze employee feedback from surveys, performance reviews, and other sources to provide insights into engagement levels and areas for improvement.
• Personalized Learning and Development: AI can recommend personalized training and development plans based on employees’ skills, performance, and career goals.

Employee Relations:

• Chatbots for HR Support: AI-powered chatbots can handle routine HR queries, allowing HR professionals to focus on more complex and strategic issues.
• Sentiment Analysis: AI can analyze communication channels to gauge employee sentiment, helping HR address potential issues before they escalate.

It’s important to note that while AI can greatly enhance HR processes, it should be used as a tool to support human decision-making rather than replacing human judgment entirely. Additionally, ethical considerations, transparency, and data privacy should be prioritized when implementing AI in HR.

Artificial Intelligence can be useful and helpful, when used appropriately. 

Should HR pros be concerned about AI replacing them? Why or why not?

[Cherveny] AI can never replace our critical and dynamic thinking, professional judgment, and consulting acumen. However, AI is here to stay. HR should embrace its functionality while still monitoring and modifying any outputs generated by technology. While it may enhance efficiency and productivity, it will never replace the important service HR provides their organizations. 

Maintaining a balance between leveraging technology and maintaining human connections is key to delivering exceptional employee relations experiences. In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) is likewise concerned about displaced workers as a result of AI. In its Executive Order, the White House has instructed the USDOL to develop a plan for how federal agencies can prevent unnecessary job elimination or displacement and assist workers whose jobs are eliminated or disrupted by AI.

Moreover, many of our federal laws implicitly require the involvement of people. For example, AI can never replace the interactive process required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Human resource pros must engage in a collaborative and interactive conversation with an employee seeking a workplace accommodation. HR pros must assess the employee’s position and his/her medical limitations to identify a reasonable accommodation (if any). Likewise, Artificial Intelligence cannot replace a human being when interviewing a candidate that may have a speech impediment or accent that may skew an AI-based interview. Keeping the ‘human’ in HR is essential.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has provided robust guidance along with examples of the role HR must continue to play in the employment relationship. For example, a prospective employer may utilize an AI based applicant screening program in a gaming environment – an otherwise qualified applicant whose generation is not familiar with this environment may perform poorly. The prospective employer should have a checks and balance or audit system in place to ensure that the otherwise qualified candidates were not screened out by the AI because they performed poorly based on their age (i.e. disparate impact and age discrimination). 

AI should never go unchecked. Individuals utilizing AI must consistently perform oversight, review, and audit AI output. Individuals must ensure that the AI output is accurate, reliable, and nondiscriminatory. Embracing AI also requires continuous training, education, and upskilling. As HR pros we should invest in developing our understanding of AI technologies, their applications, and their impact on our field. This enables us to leverage AI effectively, adapt to emerging trends, and remain competitive in the evolving consulting landscape.

HR should always be transparent when using AI. It’s important to be sure that the HR ‘customer’ (whether employee or job applicant) knows when AI technology is being used and how to get to a live human. For example, if a candidate requires an accommodation for an interview, they should have ready access to a member of HR to request that accommodation. 

Interestingly even the ChatGPT answer warns that HR should not rely solely on the AI results and must be sure to check and balance the results. It also likewise warns that HR should be transparent when using AI. 

You mentioned the relationship between HR, compliance, and Artificial Intelligence. Do you see AI becoming “regulated”, meaning that HR pros will need to ensure that organizations are compliant using AI? And if so, what aspects of HR might be subject to AI compliance?

[Cherveny] The government involvement has begun! For example, the White House has issued the “Blueprint for AI Bill of Rights” (see graphic above).

The White House has also recently issued an executive order requiring government agencies to address the limitations and controls around the use of AI. The executive order creates new government offices and task forces, requiring each federal agency to appoint a Chief AI Officer and help staff a new White House AI Council. The federal government is especially concerned about AI infringing on workers’ rights and discrimination. Likewise, data and cyber security are important considerations when it comes to AI. The government is especially concerned about the nature of the data loaded into an AI platform and the cyber and data security in place to protect that information. HR should be prepared to include these questions in any technology due diligence it performs. 

Each federal agency charged with overseeing employer-employee relationships has issued various forms of guidance and caution regarding the use of AI in the workplace: 

• U.S. National Labor Relations Board issued a general counsel memo regarding the use of AI for employee surveillance.
• U.S. Department of Labor is holding ‘think tanks’, providing thoughts and guidance in its blogs regarding the use of AI in the workplace along with an ADA AI Toolkit.
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is providing robust and detailed guidance regarding Title VII, discrimination, disparate impact, and ADA.

Last question. For organizations that are still new to using AI, where’s a good place for them to start? 

[Cherveny] For organizations interested in implementing AI technology in human resources it first becomes important to understand the guardrails. Becoming familiar and well versed in the federal agency guidance is your first order of business. Understanding where, when, and under what circumstances AI may be appropriate, and more importantly, inappropriate, is an imperative initial measure to take. 

From there, HR pros should learn the technology landscape. Becoming acquainted with the AI and technology capabilities of HRIS and other relates systems is essential to understanding how AI may be helpful in their organization. Understanding the technology capabilities will help HR pros better understand how they can automate some of their most mundane and rudimentary tasks. 

Once HR has chosen their AI technology programs, they must set up a checks and balance or audit system. For example, validating the candidate screening results of a chatbot AI initial interview. HR should be sure that the AI recommended candidates are in fact, the most qualified of the applicants. For example, did the AI filter out candidates who had language or grammar issues because English is a second language, and those skills are not essential for the position? 

As always, a want to extend a huge thanks to Carrie for sharing her knowledge with us. If you want to learn more about the connection between HR and AI, check out HUB’s recent webinar on “Humanizing HR in the Age of AI”.  

Carrie is spot on when she says, “AI is here to stay.” As HR professionals, we need to learn about AI’s capabilities, both from a standpoint of where it can enhance and bring value to our work as well as those actions that might detract from our goals. That’s why staying on top of what’s happening is so important. Because we need to prepare for a future that includes artificial intelligence. And that means we need to have an opinion about it. 

The post Artificial Intelligence: What HR Pros Can Do to Prepare For the Future appeared first on hr bartender.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

(Editor’s Note: Today’s article is brought to you by our friends at UKG – Ultimate Kronos Group, a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions. The NelsonHall NEAT report recently named UKG a leader in the next generation HCM technology market. Congrats to them and enjoy the article!)

Mark your calendars! The UKG HR & Payroll eSymposium is scheduled for Wednesday, January 17, 2024, 10a to 4p Eastern. The theme for this event is “change the conversation”. 

I can definitely see how the “change the conversation” theme is relevant to today’s workplaces. I believe organizations and individuals have been looking for an opportunity to do a reset. Organizations are still trying to find that exact right mix of onsite, hybrid, and remote work. They’re also trying to balance the needs of customers, shareholders, and employees. Meanwhile, employees are trying to find their own sense of balance in terms of their personal and professional goals. 

This eSymposium has several sessions designed to help individuals and organizations examine their current strategies and invent some new ones. You can check out the full agenda, speaker profiles, and register by visiting the UKG eSymposium website but, here are a few sessions that immediately caught my attention.

Hot Topics in Employment Law 2024

The pace of workplace change is rapid. Struggling with the uncertainty of recent Supreme Court decisions and the changing dynamics of union labor and strikes, employers also face a tidal wave of federal and state changes affecting the workplace. HR leaders must stay informed of the latest developments to avoid often-unseen legal issues or penalties. Employment law experts Christopher Olmsted and Brittany Brantley, from Ogletree Deakins, will share detailed insights on these breaking topics, including best practices for building alliances with your legal team.

Understanding, Identifying, and Leveraging Your Key Stakeholders

The solution to making an impact in the workplace is delivering quality and relevant work. Achieving this goal requires that you know your strengths, your areas of opportunity, and your business.  Leveraging all those elements and knowing your key stakeholders not only changes the conversation, but it can also change relationships in the workplace. Coretha Rushing, former CHRO for Equifax, will discuss how to identify the most crucial stakeholders impacting your workplace goals and how to forge stronger connections with them.

More Time, More Impact: How Generative AI Gives HR Pros Superpowers

How many of us in our daily work get to do those things that drew us into our profession in the first place? If we’re honest, we often spend too much time on busywork, repetitive tasks, and other activities that don’t bring out our best abilities and passions. In this session, Ben Eubanks, chief research officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, will share how generative artificial intelligence can help you tackle your “to do” list and refocus your efforts and attention on creating better relationships and impact. 

Strategy Activation: A Proven Gameplan

This session delivers a walk through on how you can bring organizational change to life with proven, easy to follow methodology while feeling good about the work you’re doing. Participants will be able to translate business priorities into tangible actions. UKG experts Regent Cornell, principal organizational development specialist, and Nick Jordan, lead talent development consultant, will lead the conversation on overcoming resistance to change and using strategy activation tactics with intention.

I hope you’ll agree with me that the agenda for the UKG eSymposium looks very interesting and relevant to what’s taking place right now in the workplace. Like many of you, I’m always on the lookout for FREE professional development events that really deliver on providing quality information. I’ve been participating in the UKG eSymposiums for several years and consistently find them to be a high-quality learning opportunity.

Taking Time for Our Professional Development is Important

I have to remind myself that taking time out for my own professional development is important. Now is the time to take some of our own advice. If a manager or employee came to us about not having time for learning, we’d tell them that “developing our knowledge and skills makes us better at our jobs.”. And it’s true. Here are a few reminders about the benefits of attending this event.

It’s FREE. Sometimes free things are good and sometimes … well, they’re not. The UKG HR & Payroll eSymposium is one of those good, free events. As much as we might want to travel to an event right now, the cost of travel is (still) very inflated. So, when we can identify a good, free event, we need to take full advantage. 

The content is relevant and high-quality. Let me say it again. One of the things that I always enjoy about this event is that the information is relevant. I also like that the eSymposium brings together HR and payroll. I’ve been responsible for both functions a few times in my career, and this is one of the few events that has topics which are relevant to both. Since the event is free, your organization can have multiple people attend, and then maybe set up a meeting to discuss takeaways from the sessions. It’s a great way for HR and payroll to learn from each other.

You can earn recertification credits. The educational sessions have been pre-approved for recertification credits with several HR and payroll professional groups (listed below). UKG will be providing a certificate of participation for your files.

• American Payroll Association (APA)
• Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Saskatchewan (CPHR-SK)
• Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI)
• Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)
• National Payroll Institute (NPI)
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

The sessions will be recorded. While this is a virtual event and being able to attend the live sessions is always beneficial, if you’re not able to, no worries. Most sessions will be made available on-demand. That way if you’re torn between two sessions then you can listen to one live and the other on demand. Honestly, I will admit I sometimes rewatch sessions again to catch some tidbits I may have missed, especially if I’m trying to use the information in a budget proposal. 

The UKG HR & Payroll eSymposium is designed to deliver education on the topics we face every day and could potentially face in the future. It has the ingredients many of us look for in professional development opportunities: 1) high-quality content, 2) no cost to attend, and 3) pre-approved for recertification. We all know this doesn’t happen very often. 

HR and payroll professionals are focused on a lot of things, like recruiting and retention. There are days when we say to ourselves that we can’t possibly think about taking time off to attend a professional development program. But we just have to find the best way to build in our own professional development. It’s important. Sign up for the UKG HR & Payroll eSymposium. Here are the registration details:

UKG HR & Payroll eSymposium: Change the Conversation

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

10a to 4p Eastern

The post Change the Conversation: UKG HR and Payroll eSymposium appeared first on hr bartender.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I’ve mentioned a few times recently about projects that might be perfect for the end of the year and thought it would be good to expand on the idea. 

When I worked in a corporate office, I often worked during the final two weeks of the year. At first, because I had to. Everyone else had more seniority and vacation time. Later in my career, I did it because I wanted to. The final two weeks of the year were quiet. Fewer meetings. Less email. I could be productive, catch up, and cross off a few things on my “to-do” list.

So, if you’re looking at your schedule and are unhappy about having to work while your colleagues are taking time off, let me share a few things you can do to prepare for the upcoming year. In fact, you might want to bookmark this page and use it as an end-of-the-year checklist.

1. Clean out your contacts. I’m not talking about unfriending or unfollowing people, although you might want to do that too. I’m referring to professional contacts with outdated information who haven’t stayed in touch. That digital entry is just taking up space. If you want, reach out and try to connect with those individuals via LinkedIn. Then you will always have their most current contact information.

2. Update your social media accounts. Speaking of cleaning up contacts, use this quiet time to unfriend, unfollow, unlike, etc. those accounts that don’t bring value. Also take a moment to update your profile, photo, and contact information. The more accurate and up-to-date your profiles are, the more people will want to engage with you.

3. Get your planner ready for the New Year. While I have a digital calendar, I still like using a paper planner. There are many different styles available and they can serve multiple functions like planning, goal setting, journaling, etc.. This year I’m using a Hobonichi Techo. Planning is an important and productive activity that helps us stay focused and accomplish our goals. Find a system that works for you.

4. Do a mini-HR audit. Pull a half dozen personnel files and make sure they look the way they’re supposed to. You can do the same with Form I-9. It’s better to have some sense of how your files look before an official audit. Need an audit checklist? The SHRM Knowledge Center can help you with that. Members are able to request information for free!

5. Organize your reading. I don’t know about you, but I find that during the year, I add sites to my Feedly and then discover they’ve been abandoned, etc. So, it’s good to clean out those electronic newsletters, sites, and blogs to make room for new ones. Hopefully you’ll continue receiving HR Bartender!

6. Clean and dust your office. This is another area that I’m guilty of neglecting. Books get dusty. Computer cords get tangled. Take a couple of hours to move stuff and really clean. You’ll be amazed how good it feels (and smells!)

7. Delete electronic files that you no longer need. A word of caution here – please check with your legal counsel and/or technology department before doing this. But my guess is the company’s 1986 dress code policy that is still sitting on someone’s computer could be deleted. Organizing your electronic files will make you more productive. 

8. Talk with employees. I know that much of what we’ve discussed so far is about organizing paper. Remember management by walking around (MBWA)? This is also a great time of year to get out of your office and talk with employees. Find out what’s going on. And if you have team members who will also be working, this could be a great time to schedule an extra one-on-one to wrap up the year and plan for the future. 

9. Schedule one-on-ones with managers. Speaking of meetings, use the last two weeks of the year to meet with the managers who are also working. Talk with them about how HR can help and provide value. Plan some strategies together. Relationship building is a huge part of HR’s job. Here’s a great opportunity.

10. Take a class. Been trying to find a few hours for your own professional development? I know how hard it can be to squeeze time into an already busy schedule. Use the slow time to listen to an online seminar or take a MOOC (massive open online course). 

While we’d all like to spend the last couple weeks of the year on a tropical paradise, sometimes it’s simply not possible. So, if your plans involve work, use the time to your advantage. You can start the new year ready to make a huge impact.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at the 34th Street graffiti wall in Gainesville, FL

The post The Most Productive Ways to Spend the Last Two Weeks of the Year appeared first on hr bartender.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

I’d like to think that most, if not all, of us would answer the question “Is it okay for job seekers to get help with their job search?” with the answer “yes”. 

We encourage job seekers to reach out to their networks when they’re looking for new opportunities. We encourage them to speak with mentors and coaches about how to share their strengths during interviews. And if necessary, we encourage job seekers to talk with career coaches and professional resume writers to get their job seeking tools like social media profiles and resumes in order to help land a job. 

Here’s my question: Should that change when the help or support an applicant is using is an artificial intelligence tool like ChatGPT? 

The reason I’m bringing this up is because I recently overhead a conversation where someone was wondering if someone’s resume and cover letter had been written by ChatGPT. And whether they needed to consider that when evaluating the applicant. It made me pause for a moment. 

We really don’t know who or what writes any candidate’s resume. Yes, we can speculate that a resume, article, etc. was written by a bot. This happens frequently in today’s business world. But I haven’t seen the same conversation when someone’s resume is written by a resume writer or outplacement firm. So, the question becomes, does it matter? Regardless of who or what wrote it, a badly written resume is bad, and a well written resume is good. 

Typically, we don’t ask who prepared a candidate’s resume. I understand there are jobs that require good written communication skills. But I’ve not seen situations where the resume is considered a test of sorts when it comes to confirming those skills. Organizations need to ask themselves if who or what prepares a candidate’s resume matters. And more specifically why does it matter. 

Also, just as a reminder, if you’re using pre-employment tests or assessments, it’s important for those to be valid, reliable, and aligned with the purpose you’re using them for. There could be a time when you have to defend your decisions. It might be valuable to direct any questions to your friendly neighborhood employment attorney. 

HR needs to make sure that hiring managers are a part of this conversation. Human resources and talent acquisition professionals might be completely on board with the “It doesn’t matter who or what writes the resume” conversation. But it’s equally important that hiring managers are as well. They might have questions – legal and nonlegal – that should be answered. The last thing any organization wants is to send conflicting messages to candidates. 

As technology tools like artificial intelligence become more mainstream, people and organizations are going to want to check them out. And that’s fine. Organizations and individuals need to figure out what they will use technology for and the best way to use it. Both organizations and individuals will want to make sure that they are using technology responsibly. (FYI – If you haven’t read it, you might want to check out President Biden’s executive order on safe, secure, and trustworthy artificial intelligence.)

The goal of an interview is to determine if the candidate truly has the skills and abilities represented on their resume. If they do, does it matter who or what wrote that resume? Ultimately, the organization is hiring the person, and they need to have a well thought out talent acquisition process to do that.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Jacksonville, FL

The post Artificial Intelligence: Is It Okay for Job Seekers to Get Help With Their Job Search appeared first on hr bartender.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

When we’re creating our recruiting strategy, we have to decide how we will bring people into the organization. I’m not talking about sourcing. I’m talking about when there’s an open job, we have to decide if we will fill it from within, hire someone from the outside, or maybe even outsource the work to a consultant. We often refer to this decision as buy, build, or borrow. As a quick refresher, here’s a brief explanation of each. 

BUY is where the company hires workers from the outside. The advantage to this recruiting approach is that the organization gets fresh perspectives and new ideas. The disadvantage is that it can be expensive to attract high performing workers from the outside. And the organization needs to make sure the new hire acclimates to the company culture. 

BUILD is when the company develops their existing workforce. The upside is that this strategy is great for employee morale. And the employee already knows the culture and has built working relationships. The downside is that developing a future workforce takes time. It also means having the learning and development resources available.

BORROW is using freelancers, contractors, or consultants when the need arises. Not every job is a full-time job, so the positive side to this approach is getting the necessary skills at the moment it’s needed. The challenging side is keeping freelancers engaged so that, when you need them, they’re available and ready to work for you.

In today’s technology age, I think we need to add one more recruiting strategy component to the list – bots. The groups I described above all rely on human beings. Advances in technology, like artificial intelligence (AI) and bots, are allowing organizations to do things never before possible. 

Please note, I’m not suggesting that we eliminate the human workforce. It’s important to realize that while AI and bots are an important technological advancement, they haven’t been developed to the point where they can replace all human workers. But I’m thinking if we added bots to the buy, build, and borrow elements, this is what it could look like. 

BOTS would be used when the organization has a defined, predictable, repetitive task. The plus would be that the organization would gain consistency and scalability in managing these kinds of tasks. Employees could focus on work that only humans can do. The minus would be initial investment costs as well as the perceived loss of human interaction.

I know bots are getting mixed reviews right now, but I can see this fourth element in recruiting strategy being important in future staffing discussions. Organizations need to ask: Is this a full-time, part-time, freelance, or bot job? That will determine how an organization goes about finding the worker (i.e., sourcing). Do they buy it, build it in-house, have someone occasionally work on it, or automate it? 

The workforce is changing. Even if your organization isn’t looking at AI and bots right now, it’s possible they will be in the future. HR and talent acquisition professionals need to be prepared for a strategic response.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Miami, FL

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