I’m From HR And I’m Here To Help

HR can give your brand a boost!

Back in early August of 1993 there were three significant events in my life. First, UB40 had the number one song in the country with a remake of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” (Love UB40!) Second, I finally had my own apartment in Brooklyn Heights. (That was cool!) Third, I was just beginning my career as a Human Resources Associate at a large global bank in New York City (totally amazing!). At the time, I was armed with my new MBA degree and ready to get in the HR game. I was eager to work with very smart people in some very interesting businesses within the bank. But I quickly learned that sometimes my colleagues were very guarded about what they would say in my presence.

Don’t get me wrong. I achieved some great results and built some pretty long lasting relationships during that time in my life. Still it was amusing to watch people censor their speech during a meeting with me, when I knew had no qualms about cutting loose with some colorful language when speaking to peers or direct reports. One of my mentors in the HR function gave me a little education about the world of HR. She said “Bouvier, you have to get used to the fact that your clients will always be a little bit wary, a little bit cautious, around you at least until they get to know you. It’s not personal. It happens to all of us.”

I ask myself even now, what’s the reason for this wariness? Well here are some reasons that people have shared with me over the years.

1. Anything I tell an HR person may get used against me at some later date.
2. I had a meeting with my HR Manager on Monday, and then I got fired on Wednesday without giving any warning on Monday that I would be terminated.
3. My HR person seems more interested in representing the company’s interests than being an employee advocate.
4. HR is always cutting out benefits or getting rid of employee programs I like.

I could go on, but you get the picture. A lot has changed for me since 1993, but I still find that some people still want to keep considerable distance between them and their HR department. From a personal branding perspective, that is a huge mistake! Let me tell you why.

HR Professionals Are Fantastic Brand Agents

In my blog The Personal Brand Professor, I've discussed how brand agents are people who’ve had great interactions with you who then go on to share your awesome qualities with others. These brand agents are extremely happy to sing your praises to others when you’re not in the room to hear it. A brand agent can be anyone you encounter in your organization or sphere of influence. HR professionals make great brand agents because they are in a position to reach a lot of people whom you already know or would like to know. Consider the following benefits for your personal brand by building strong relationships with your HR colleagues.

Job Intelligence. You’ve posted several times for a new position in the company and haven’t received even an interview, much less an actual job offer. Stop complaining about the internal job posting process! Instead, spend some time with your HR Business Partner (HR Generalist is so passé) or Talent Acquisition Manager (much sexier than Recruiter) to learn about a new position and what the internal hiring manager is looking for before you post for the role. You’ll learn whether you really have the skills and experience needed for the job or if there is a huge skills gap. As a side bonus, your HR person can offer great insights about which parts of the company are growing fast or considered to be strategically important to the company’s mission. They may even go so far as to make an informal connection to a manager in another department on your behalf.

Executive Access You May Not Have. It’s not uncommon for HR leaders to have professional relationships with individuals several levels up the corporate ladder from your manager. They regularly speak with executives you may only see in passing on the elevator. Make sure your HR professionals know what you do within your team/department and how well you’re doing it. In my HR career, I can’t tell you how many times I had the opportunity to share positive feedback about an employee with an SVP or EVP. I might bring up the employee’s name as part of pre-meeting small talk or to acknowledge how the person helped me with an important project. Remember, HR people have the same corporate challenges as everyone else. When someone takes the time to help them be successful, they’re all too delighted to spread the word.

Development Options. Guess who creates and/or introduces many employee training courses and workshops? Your friendly neighborhood Employee Development Team in HR that’s who. If you’re looking to acquire knowledge and build new skills, then make sure you tap into HR’s portfolio of available courses and workshops inside and outside of the company. Ever been shut out of a training program because it’s full? Having a good relationship with your HR brand agent might get you in the session. You organization is really serious about leadership development and has introduced a new learning experience for high potential employees. If your own manager didn’t think to nominate you, then it might be an HR professional who puts in a good word for you to have you considered. HR people are always looking at the talent inside the company. When you’re on their radar, you will eventually find yourself on the radar of leaders in other parts of the organization.

Relationships Matter

You may still be a little skeptical, but I can tell you from my experience that having some brand agents in HR will pay significant career dividends. If you already have some HR brand agents, give yourself a pat on the back. If you don’t, what should you do if you hardly know your HR colleagues? The answer is simple. Introduce yourself! Seriously, I’ve had new, and not so new, employees get on my calendar for a variety of reasons that include:

1. Learning about available employee development programs.
2. Increasing their understanding of the organization’s mission and values.
3. Creating a customized development plan to build on their strengths and close skill gaps.
4. Offering to participate in focus groups and brainstorming sessions to provide ideas that will spur collaboration and innovation.
5. Volunteering for mentoring or diversity & inclusion initiatives.
6. Recommending managers and co-workers for special recognition.
7. Obtaining advice about how to build great relationships in the company.

I’ve even had people offer to take me to lunch to learn more about what I do in HR. Whatever the reason for connecting with me, the interactions would often lead to me remembering that individual in a positive light. And at the end of the day, the increased visibility on their part made it easy for me to support their brands by spreading good word-of-mouth about them.

So stop ignoring your friends in HR. Your personal brand will shine a little brighter by taking some time to get to know them.

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For more insights on developing an effective personal brand, please visit my blog www.thepersonalbrandprofessor.com.