I had every intention of talking about internships this week – and not just because we haven't been able to get one on the editorial side here for a few years now.
(But we're apparently in the minority now since, according to this CareerBuilder survey, less than 30 percent of employers are even looking to pick up summer interns this year. Surprisingly – at least to me – that's actually a bump up from last year, when only 21 percent of employers went looking for temporary summer help. But I digress from my digression…)
I was in a meeting this morning mulling over these intern numbers (while trying to figure out who all the new marketing ones in our own office are) when the human resource department's bad rap came up.
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My gut reaction was to question the veracity of the assumed notoriety of HR. Do they even have one? And, if so, why?
(Another aside: the catalyst for this conversation was the announcement of our own new head of HR. But as to her rep, I couldn't say. Few outside of the hiring process could since no one's heard anything since she came aboard a couple of weeks back. But with the open enrollment looming, we'll all find out soon enough.)
Then it occurred to me most conversations with HR occur because you're in trouble (over time off, hours worked or that off-color joke) or you're getting bad news about money (no raise, higher premium, no bonus). So, if any of us do harbor ill will toward our HR managers, it's a classic case of shooting the messenger.
As the meeting stumbled on, I also realized that most of the positive HR conversations occur within the context of one's first day on the job (roughly) or one's last (at least when you're leaving on your own terms).
Of course, I thought I had it all figured out, but by the time I got back to my desk (and started this little ramble) it dawned on me that I probably had no idea what I was talking about (or at least thinking). In fact, I've already circled back to my original question and decided the rep is what you make of it – just like the rest of us.
Because have you heard the one about the journalists?
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