Wonolo
Round five of our heroic HR professionals takes a turn from the Fortune 500 to an HR entrepreneur. As the Founder and President of Unbridled Talent, Jennifer has commited herself to helping others “Unleash Your Awesome” around the world. She has gathered a wealth of wisdom over her career in corporate America (including fun brands like The United States Playing Card Company <– if you ever touched a deck of cards in your life, that’s them) and as a speaker in high demand on the conference circuit. We had the opportunity to ask her our Hero’s questions and share some knowledge in type form.
Be on the lookout for more profiles of HR Heroes, and if you have someone that you think would be a great fit for this series, tweet your nomination to us using the #hrhero hashtag.
I started working in HR because…
I wanted work in an area of the organization where I could have the widest influence and impact on the most people. Since HR interacts with and makes decisions that affect all employees, I felt that was the place to be!
The one piece of advice I’d give to a new manager is…
Focus on building relationships and your network. If you do good work, and help people accomplish what they need/want to accomplish, you’ll get where you want to go faster, and with tremendous support.
I feel happiest when…
I’m outside enjoying the beauty of the world, and when I’m with my horses.
I’m most proud of…
Comments, emails, messages, etc. from those who have been impacted positively by something I’ve said or done in their lives.
I’m particularly excited about…
The future of work. I think we’re seeing some exciting changes with technology, but also a renewed focus on personalization and relationship building. Those who can figure out the right mix of those things will win!
HR is…
The heart of every organization, and the most important position in the company (if done right).
I believe you can improve employee retention by…
Truly appreciating the work of individuals. People need to know that the work that they do matters – regardless of where they’re located on the organization chart. The best way to accomplish that is by showing appreciation for what they do, and sharing with them how their work makes a difference.
The next great innovation in HR is…
Figuring out how to utilize artificial intelligence in the hiring and employment process – without removing the need for human oversight, analysis and decision-making.
Firing someone is…
Difficult – even if they deserve it. Everyone has a story, and why they ultimately do the things they do. It’s important to keep in mind that even though firing someone may be necessary, if they’re handled with dignity and honesty in the process, you may be an important part of helping them to turn their situation around, and into something positive.
My go-to interview question is…
What is something that your boss mentioned on your last performance review that you need to improve upon, and what steps have you taken since that time to improve?
My favorite app is…
Instagram. I share pictures of my life, horses, cats and travel – and I love to learn more about how to take better pictures from others. @jennifer_mcclure
We can sexify HR by…
not putting ourselves or our profession down. HR is an exciting place to work in any organization. If HR pros focus on building their credibility, and ability to influence others, they will be able to be able to build the relationships necessary to truly understand and impact the business and the bottom line.
Ultimately, my job is…
Freedom to use the talents and gifts I’ve been given, and the experience that I’ve acquired to influence and impact the most people possible.
The biggest challenge in the war on talent is…
Convincing hiring managers and talent acquisition professionals to focus on hiring for softer skills – like ability to be trained, communication, ability to work as part of a team, perseverance, etc. We’re going to need to retrain and train more and more people to fit the jobs of the future that don’t have the skills or degrees associated with those jobs. Our focus needs to change from hiring the person who has held the job before, or done it for 5+ years, to who can learn the job effectively in the most efficient time-frame.
The one trait I look for in a good employee is…
Perseverance – the ability to overcome obstacles and difficulties, and keep moving forward towards the goal – even if it means changing course or doing something different.
The superhero I most relate to is…
Since the choices are somewhat limited of female superheroes, I’m going with Wonder Woman. But of course, she was pretty badass in her own right. 😉
My HR Hero is…
Steve Browne – www.sbrownehr.com
