Forced Out?

A reader writes:

I feel like the CEO of my company might be trying to force me out because he doesn't want to have an HR department that is "all black".  I am an HR Generalist in a two-person department.  About 5 weeks after I started this job, the HR Director transferred to another unit, leaving me the sole person supporting a 550-person organization. The CEO stalled on hiring an a new HR Director (who was peer interviewed by all the other directors who really liked him).  Before he finally offered him the position, he spoke to the VP of HR and said he thought it might be bad to have an HR department with only African-Americans in it.  (I suspect that if I were white--I'm not--and the new Director were white, he would not have any concerns.)

I asked his permission to bring on a temp to help cover the phones and file and was denied.  A week later, he said that he was tired of hearing complaints about my office being closed (not that I'm not there, but that I am doing my job elsewhere in the building).  I tried reminding him that I had asked for help, and was denied.  That same day, he emailed the former HR Director that I am "not happy" and that I am "not a good representative for HR" and that I needed to find work elsewhere.  I am assuming the former HR Director reminded him that one person supporting 500 people is preposterous and to give me a break.  So his solution (thankfully by email so I have proof) that his Administrative Assistant is my immediate supervisor and I am to call her anytime I am to leave my desk and tell her where I am going (presumably to include going to the bathroom).  I feel like this might fall under the area of constructive discharge, when I am forced to "report to" an admin assistant, when my job description requires that I use a great deal of judgment and decision-making in my job.  Not to mention the potential racial discrimination.  What do you think?

First off, 1 HR staff person to support 550 employees is unreasonable. Yes, even preposterous. That aside, I picture a tornado as I read this. I see a situation that gets worse and worse with each twisted communication. It is spinning out of control and it needs to be stopped - by you.  

There is clearly a lack of direct communication between you and the CEO.  Your information is coming to you third hand (and in the midst of some pretty strong emotions.) The CEO appears to be a real jerk, and maybe even a racially biased one at that, but I caution you against taking what you are hearing as facts and as the whole story. Before you react, I encourage you to seek out the rest of the story; there is always another side.

Where does the VP of HR fall into this? Does he/she report directly to the CEO? Is this a matrix organization? I am wondering who, absent an incumbent HR Director, would be in the best position to supervise you? Does that fall to the CEO? When the CEO used the word "supervisor" regarding his Administrative Assistant, was he addressing performance evaluations, etc. or someone who would know about your whereabouts? If there are complaints about your office being closed, it would help you, and your CEO, to have someone able to communicate your whereabouts, provide customers with information about when you are expected to return, and take messages for you. Maybe, just maybe, this can be to your advantage.

I encourage you to take a deep breathe, put the emotions aside (yes, easier said than done) and list out the the things that are driving you crazy. Ask yourself these questions: why is it irritating; for what business reason might the CEO be making the decisions he has made; what would you request be done differently; what are you willing to do differently; and how can you help the CEO and the business. If the first answer is, " because, I don't like it," or "because he doesn't like me," ask yourself again, and again, to get past initial gut reactions.

Constructive discharge? Maybe, maybe not and you owe it to yourself to seek out good, solid information. A face to face conversation really can make a difference and there are times when I sure wished I had spoken with a person much sooner than I did. More talking, less spinning.

Good people often find themselves in bad workplaces and you may have landed right in the middle of an impossible situation. It may very well be that this is not the place for you, for your own well-being. Let me know how it goes.

Employment After Bankruptcy

A close friend of mine has a recent bankruptcy.  He is now seeking a new job.   Do job applications ask about bankruptcy? Do prospective employers check credit history? Should he tell prospective employers about the bankruptcy? Will prospective new employers hold the bankruptcy against him? 

Bankruptcies are not the end of the world or a career for the average person. In response to your questions, yes, applications ask about bankruptcy, if not directly, in the form of a credit question.

Yes, most employers check credit history and it is practically a given when the position applying for has got anything to do with the company's money. Not only is this the obvious accounting or fiscal positions but also managers, and often sales. Why? How a person manages their own personal finances is an indicator of how they will manage someone else's. Keep in mind, an employer can not check a person's credit without their written consent. However, if you don't give your consent, your application will not be considered. Nice catch-22!

I am all for FULL DISCLOSURE. Your friend should tell prospective employers about the bankruptcy and disclosure on the application is the way to bring it to their attention. Be prepared for a follow up question asking about the details. When asked, answer and do so honestly. Bankruptcy as a result of divorce proceedings? Not as flag raising as other causes. One bankruptcy? Not a flag raising as two or more. Not all bankruptcies are alike. If you tell me about it, I can be much more open and willing to consider and weigh than if you attempt to hide. It goes to integrity and honesty and frankly, the HR staff will find it anyway.

Will prospective new employers hold the bankruptcy against him? I'd like to say only in cases where their is a nexus between the bankruptcy and the position but in reality, yes they might. They shouldn't, but they might. If they do, they must tell him. Here is a summary of rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Bottom line. Disclose. Your friend should be prepared to articulate lessons learned from the experience and then get on to the business of selling himself for the job.

Toxic New Employee

What do you do when a brand new employee goes to your boss and tells her that she doesn't think you are performing your job up to the standards that were explained to her in the new employee orientation?  Here's my situation: I am a Preschool Teacher and I have 8 years experience and a degree in my field.  My company hired a new teacher who has no experience and no education in this field.  On her very first day in my classroom, she went to my boss and told her that I am not following all of the standards that the company expects from teachers.  I was then pulled into my boss's office and was talked too about this.  I was in shock that a new person would go to my boss instead of talking to me first and I am upset that my boss took what the new person had to say so seriously.  I have been with this company for two years and never had a complaint from any other co-worker and all of the sudden a new person with no experience and no education walks in and complains about me and they take it so seriously.  Because of this, I already don't really care for her and I am not looking forward to working with her.  Do you have any advice about how I am  supposed to work with this person and not be paranoid about every little thing that I say and do?

Unfortunately, not everyone learns how to play nice. Little Miss Toxic could have asked you questions about your classroom procedures. She could have asked why. She could have used this as a perfect learning opportunity. She did not. Why? Her reasons could range anywhere from not knowing any better to trying to make her self look good by making you look bad. Do you care? Yeah, maybe. But you have something more important to address right now - your relationship with your boss. 

Talk with your boss. As a person responsible for young children, she must take any and all concerns brought to her seriously. She has an obligation to follow through on each and every one of them. The manner in which she follows through, however, is left to her judgement. She chose to speak with you and did so in a manner that left you unsupported. You have some questions and your boss has the answers.  Ask her if she has any concerns with your performance, with the way you teach or the care you provide to the children. Listen when she responds. Talk with her about her you felt when questioned. Let her know that you take your position very seriously and count on her continued support.

Without the support of your boss, it will be difficult for you to manage Little Miss Toxic. Know that, but don't let that stop you from talking with her. You are responsible for your relationships. Set the ground rules for this one right now. You are experienced, she is not. You can help her learn. If she has questions about what you are doing or why you are doing something a certain way, she should ask you and you can discuss. Give her the benefit of the doubt and a second chance. If she bites your hand, you bite her back.

Biting aside, this comes back to your relationship with your boss. With her support (and maybe a little bit of peer pressure), you can nip this toxic behavior rather quickly. Without the support of your boss, Little Miss Toxic may be the least of your problems. Good Luck!

Job Searching in North Carolina

I would like to get a job in Wilmington, NC- however I live in the western part of North Carolina.  I am finding this very difficult.  How does one make this happen?.  Thank you for your help.

I am going to assume, correct me if I am wrong, that you are having difficulty locating sources of opportunities. I am going to direct you to the Society for Human Resource Management website. On this site, they have listings of local HR chapters and HR Career resources  with job listings, career articles and a career guide. A subscription to the local Wilmington paper or even better, a web-based search of the area's on line listings, would also be two places to start.

If you have located the opportunities but are having other difficulties, let me know what they are and I 'd be glad to help. If there are any North Carolina readers with advice to offer on the NC job market, jump in. 

Best of luck!

Returning From an HR Sabbatical

Is it true that once you have been out of your field for 6+ months, your value goes down, salary-wise?

It depends. HR is a very complex and robust field. Salary determinations are based on experiences and the level of position being sought. Salary is not necessarily based on an accounting of your time in and out of the profession, although experience and time on the job are related. The longer you are out of the profession, the more catching up you may need to do.

If you needed a break or wanted to try something new and are now interested in returning to the filed, do a little homework first. If you are interviewing with me, I will be looking for skills and experiences. Tell me why you left, what you did to stay current in HR while you were gone and how your experiences will make you a better HR professional. Did you learn something about business, coaching, consulting, software systems, data bases? How about customer service, organization, communication? These skills add value, tell me about them.

As you venture and explore opportunities, stay current through membership in the Society for Human Resource Management or a local chapter. The magazines, on-line articles and educational opportunities will keep you up to date on the most recent legislative proposals and ideas in the field. When you are ready, consider obtaining your HR certification.

The best HR professionals are well rounded (and well rested).

Self Energising

Dear HR Thoughts, are there any tips or suggestions available for self energising?

That is a great question.

If you need self energising, you are being drained. So, let's start at the beginning to figure out just what it is that is draining you. Is it the amount of work on your desk, personalities at work, the type of work you do, social commitments, financial concerns, relationships, health concerns? What can you do to reduce the drain? You have a choice about how you live your life and may need to make some changes. Tough to do, but always an option.

A constant drain means something needs tending to. That something is you. Figure out what you need and ask for it. Simple requests fulfilled to have my daughter put her dirty clothes in the laundry after school or my husband and I sharing attendance at our daughter's activities really made a difference in lightening the load I felt. What requests can you make? Now, make them.

I could make a list of activities that I enjoy but that just would not get to the heart of the question. It really gets down to the question of, are you doing what you love? If you are not as fortunate as Kim who lives her passion every single day at work, ask yourself are you engaging in your passion outside of work. Work is not the be all and end all and a great life exists outside the workplace. Deb at 8 hours & a lunch (one my absolute favorites) writes about this in a recent post  and throughout her blog. Check out your support system for leaks and fill them with family, friends, mentors, community members etc.

With a link to another great perspective providing post, I open this up to others and invite you to chime in with your tips and suggestions for self-energising. 

Remember to breathe.