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A major pet peeve of mine is people getting or taking credit for things they do not deserve.  Think Dunder Mifflin regional manager Michael Scott giving himself the “World’s Best Boss” mug.  Unfortunately this shameful self-promotion is pretty common, especially with the advent of social media as an aid to personal branding.  Think about it, social media provides a way for individuals to build a reputation without ever physically meeting anyone.  Some may say the concept is pure genius.

Too frequently I see people claiming they are subject matter experts when they have no more experience than the average person.  Ben Eubanks of UpstartHR knows what I’m talking about, as illustrated in his post on Jobacle.com! Yet for some reason these individuals win over fans by commenting on blog posts, making public comments in an open forum or getting quoted in an article.  Guess what?  The people you interact with online may not be the same people if you ever meet them in person.  An online persona can be much more grandiose due to the lack of interpersonal communication.  Think online dating sites like eHarmony!  Some take advantage of electronic communication, knowing full well of how different one can portray themselves in an electronic versus in-person format.  His or her commentary may be nothing but a baseless attempt to garnish some form of credit for personal and/or professional gain.

My love of writing and obsession with technology are what ultimately led to the creation of HR Gumbo.  I am not here to get you to buy something from my company or claim that you must hire me to come speak at your next event.  In blogging my goal is to give a different perspective on the human resource industry, that of a Millennial.  I hope to be able to inspire others to recognize areas of improvement and engage in conversation aimed at making change in the workplace. 

I would say that a good number of bloggers are interested in developing their personal/professional brands, including myself.  That’s not a bad thing.  We offer our posts to initiate conversation, to share valuable information, to educate and learn from colleagues.  Unfortunately, there are some out there who would do or say anything to come out on top. 

Now to get to my point…I urge those involved with social media for professional purposes to heed to their gut.  I believe I am a good judge of character but I cannot speak for all you readers out there as I’ve never met most of you.  In that respect I want to share some suggestions with you regarding developing trust in those bloggers you choose to follow.

First, please don’t take everything I say at face value.  Unless I cite something, the content is based on my opinion.  It needs to be said that you will not necessarily know if you agree with something or if it applies to you until you try it out for yourself. 

Second, I urge you to get to know someone you follow on Twitter or someone whose blog you frequently read.  Engage him or her in discussion to make sure you really do want to follow that person and respect their opinion.

Third, know that some people have ulterior motives and what they say or do may be hogwash and designed to inflate their egos and/or their wallet.  It almost seems as if there should be a reference check in the process of whose blog you decide to trust.

Lastly, have fun.  This is an ever-changing interactive process.  Your thoughts and comments frequently create some of the most fascinating conversations among peers across the globe.  We really appreciate the feedback!

[For interest’s sake, if you are a blogger, answer me this one loaded question:  “Why do you blog?”  Share your answers in the comment section along with your name and blog address.]

This is an exciting time to be a human resource professional.  Whether positive or negative, there is a huge spotlight on our profession, forcing our leaders to ensure all the “ducks are in a row” so to speak.  From monumental changes in employment law to health care reform, HR pros are on a first name basis with the business community.

I have been in the HR field since I graduated from college in 2004.  Since that time I have watched and actively participated in our profession gaining momentum.  We have gone from finally winning that seat at the table to fighting to keep it.  Some may consider having to fight to keep our seat a negative aspect of our jobs but I disagree.  This type of fight forces us to stay abreast of all the groundbreaking concepts, opinions and research surrounding our field.  It keeps us in the foreground of a monstrous business field, where the finance department usually gets all the attention.

The evolution of HR has been a long time coming and with tools like social media, it will continue to have a huge impact on how we do our jobs.  It excites me to see the unlimited opportunities for the improvement of our profession through technology.  For example, the HR blogging community now has clout, not just for interesting opinions on tough subject matter but for initiating necessary discussions to help us progress.  China Miner Gorman, Chief Global Member Engagement Officer for the Society for Human Resource Management believes:

“Blogging, micro-blogging and social media are no longer viewed as taboo.  In fact, they are becoming much more mainstream for HR, and our SHRM members are very interested in understanding what’s happening out there.  Blogs, for instance, are a venue where people tend to say what’s really on their mind, whether constructive or negative.  For HR, the value is in knowing what people (employees, customers and other stakeholders) really think about policies and practices.  As you know, at the SHRM Annual Conference in New Orleans, we held our first-ever session on HR blogging.  The beauty of that panel was that we had four very different types of HR bloggers on stage talking about how they got into blogging and what it has meant to their professional development and their professional effectiveness.  Their experiences were in some ways similar, yet different – but they were all blogging for and about HR.  That’s what was really motivating to see.  HR is making its voice heard like never before.”

HR bloggers have become “celebrities” in our field.  With their help there has been a push for more education in linking HR with technology.  I recently talked with Ben Eubanks of Upstart HR and posed the following question:  Is linking technology with HR essential?  He replied, “No it’s not essential to link technology and HR.  Human resources can go on with its traditional role, planning the office birthdays and making sure people take the exact number of sick leave hours.  It can also sit in the corner when real strategies are being planned.  However, if HR is going to be something bigger and better, then embracing technology is an amazing way to make a difference.  Communicate with employees.  Capture, analyze and forecast metrics.  Use technology to make HR indispensable.”

A great example of how far we’ve come is the advent of HRevolution, an “un-conference” that will focus on integrating technology like social media and blogging with functional human resources. The event will be held in Louisville, KY on November 6^th and 7^th (register here).  When I first heard of this event I was very excited.  To that end I had a discussion with HRevolution co-founder and blogger for HR Ringleader, Trish McFarlane who said, “For me, the idea came from hearing so many HR people involved in social media talking about how conferences were not delivering relevant information on social media for HR.  I hope that each person that comes will be able to teach what they know and how they apply social media to HR.  I also hope that each participant walks away with some actionable take aways from what they learned.”  Sharing is a big part of the evolutionary HR movement and is essential to its success.

I hope by now you are actively participating in the evolution of our industry.  If not, why?  Get involved – take an active stand and show your company why you deserve to be respected.  Don’t be the quiet HR pro who just “goes with the flow.” Do something that provides value to the industry.  I’m not saying you need to start your own blog but you can read, comment and initiate conversations with this community.  I promise…you won’t be disappointed.

Job seeking and the strategies and preparation involved in the job search can be expensive.   Let me clarify that the frugal job seeker is one whose money conscious yet very strategic in how they manage their job search and the tools and resources they choose to use and invest in.  Like any marketing campaign, it is important to select and manage your resources.  If done carefully, you can effectively prepare and market yourself for under $500.  Money well spent.  In my own experience, the frugal yet strategic job seeker can lessen the amount of time in the job search by 25-50%.  From a finance management perspective, this is a phenomenal return on investment.  Here are some insights.

Personal Branding Consultation.  ($300) Just like a real estate home stager, a personal branding consultant can get you off on the right foot.  Home stagers provide an unbiased opinion and are trained to highlight your home’s strengths while downplaying its weaknesses.  Most consultants and career coaches including myself are willing to provide a personal branding and marketing consultation for perspective clients.  Xceptional HR provides a basic career package of a resume, cover letter, reference check, and intial consult for $300.   By meeting with an expert, you can get a feel for the market, have custom designed marketing materials, and a sense of direction that highlights your strengths and downplays your weaknesses.

Professional Business Cards.   ($50) Professionally designed business cards are essential for job seekers of all backgrounds.  I recommend using a design company to help you design your business cards instead designing and printing them yourself.  It is important to include your contact information, your professional website or LinkedIn profile url, as well as a memorable tag line or description that differentiates you from the rest.  Using color appropriately is also important.  A business card can be a difference maker that shows companies and professionals that you are serious about your professional job search.  For the seriously frugal job seeker, Vista Print offers 250 free business cards and has templates and colorful backgrounds that you can take advantage of.

Professional Dress.  ($125) A great suit and accessories can make a lasting impression.  Purchase items that you can mix and match to get the most bang for your buck.  For the ladies, purchase a nice suit that includes pants, skirt, and blazer.   Use different accessories like scarves, jewelry, and also blouses for different looks.  I encourage men to do the same with ties, cuff links, and dress shirts.  Department stores like J.C. Penny’s, Kohls, Target, and also thrift stores offer professional yet affordable options.  When making a clearance or thrift store purchase, you can have your suit tailored to fit your body type at an affordable price.  I once purchased a $350 suit at Nordstroms for 75% off.  I had it custom tailored for $75 and walked into an interview looking like a million bucks.

Networking Events.  ($25) Use Social Media sites LinkedIn Groups, Meetup.com, Wimgo.com, FaceBook events, and your network to find free networking events.  $25 includes the cost of gas to attend these events.  Since many of these events are Happy Hour Networking events, order a water with lime to save on the cost of alcohol while ensuring that you are professional no matter what the circumstance.