“Whether you are trying to land that dream job or grow your career, you’re going to be interacting with human resources to achieve your goal.”
But how are you supposed to do this if most companies have best practices that they don’t want you to know about? I’m here today to tell you the 8 HR secrets you need to know to reach career success.
- All Newly Hired Employees Are Placed On A 90-Day Probation Period. There is something I was told years ago when I first started in HR and it’s stuck with me ever since.“Whatever behavior you see in someone’s first 90 days on the job, multiply it by 10 and that’s what the employee will be like in a year.”
- Recruiters Have Gone Phishing. To be more specific, phishing for potential candidates. Have you ever experienced a recruiter reaching out to you concerning a potential job, ask a handful of questions about a particular employer such as who you worked with? The conversation went well and then….nothing. What happened there? This is called candidate phishing–aka getting names of people currently working at the company so they can recruit them out. Sadly, this happens more frequently to the unemployed. Why? Studies show employers prefer to hire people who are currently working.
- You Can Be Labeled “High-Maintenance” By Following The Rules. Okay, let me explain. The HR handbook is a great resource for any employee. However, it doesn’t mean you should run to HR every time a co-worker isn’t playing by the rules. Pick your battles.
- They Will Do Whatever They Can To Get You Off Of Worker’s Compensation. Studies show the longer someone is out on worker’s compensation, the less likely he or she is to return to work. People get disengaged and depressed when out on extended sick leave. To keep this from happening, HR works with the employee’s doctor and pushes to get the person released to do some kind of work–any kind of work, to make them come back to the office. They don’t want you home on the couch feeling sorry for yourself. They want you at your desk.
- Don’t Expect A Glowing Reference From HR. The reason many companies have a policy against giving references is to avoid any slander lawsuits–especially in situations where the employee didn’t leave on good terms. These days, companies are required only to provide dates of employment and pay rate. They can refuse to comment on an employee’s performance.
- Performance Plans = Start Looking For A New Job. If you are put on a formal performance plan, it’s important to be realistic. Chances are things won’t turn in your favor and this is HR’s way of saying “Start looking for a new job ASAP!” Though it may not seem like it, this is the best solution for both sides in a situation like this. If you find a job sooner, they won’t have to fire you and you won’t go on unemployment. It’s better for both sides because being unemployed makes it harder to get a job, which means you’ll be on unemployment longer. If you are in the position of trying to find a new job, it’s important to have a job search checklist to help streamline the process.
- Personality Plays A Big Part In Who Is Being Laid Off. When a layoff is going to occur, HR will consult with managers to determine who is going to stay and who will be let go. Of course, skills and productivity will help narrow down the choices; but did you know another big factor is personality? Layoffs create a stressful work environment. HR looks for employees who they feel will rally and do their best to stay positive.
- Your Perfect Track Record Won’t Save You From Being Fired Or Laid Off. Those glowing reviews you got during your annual review doesn’t equal job security. The hard truth is that those are just recognition for past work you’ve done. Right now HR is thinking, “What are they doing that justifies the cost of keeping them?”. You must always be thinking about how your position and work is helping save the company money in some way.
Preparation Is Key.
I didn’t tell you these secrets to scare you, but rather to inform you. If you understand the above secrets, it can help you to think through your actions while working with HR and Recruiting. Are you unsure what to do with this information? It doesn’t hurt to seek outside coaching from a professional to help you navigate the tricky world of HR.
Knowing these hidden truths can help you to know how you should respond in every situation to achieve career success.
P.S. – Be sure to use the hashtags #JTTalkJobs & #HRSecrets so we can all join in the conversation.
P.S.S. If you don’t think a membership to my company’s career coaching service is for you (yet).
At Work It Daily, we put together the following free career growth tools for you:
- A complete job search checklist.
CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD the pdf file.
- A list of the 18 most common interview questions.
CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD the pdf file.
- Free cover letter samples.
CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD the pdf file.
- Guide to changing careers.
CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD the pdf file.
- Masterclass on how to avoid common job search mistakes.