The March 16, 2009 issue of Fortune magazine has a short profile on Dreamworks and their unique creative people needs. My favorite piece in the profile describes how they get future candidates ready for their unique business needs.

We have alumni from roughly a dozen great art schools around the country. We send people back to lecture. We invite the teaching staff to see what we’re doing with the idea that their curriculum can be fitted to our needs. We partner with higher education so they’ll want to produce talent that is valuable to us.

That’s brilliant! Teachers get to see the latest and greatest breakthroughs in the field, and of course they’ll share that information with their students. That in turn makes the students better prepared for the types of jobs Dreamworks will need to fill.

Is this strategy something you can do at your organization? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

UPDATE: Due to complete lack of use, the Renegade HR Facebook Page no longer exists. Thanks!

I’m very excited to announce the launch of the Renegade HR Facebook Page. On the page, you can get updates on new posts, find and share links to great articles and resources, engage in discussions, and connect with other HR Renegades.

The site isn’t about me – it’s about you. I want the new Facebook page to be member driven. Just found a great article? Post it on the wall! Attended a fun or interesting event? Share your photos with the group. Have a question you need answered or idea you want to bounce off other HR pros? Start a discussion!

The Renegade HR Facebook Page is a place for HR Renegades to connect, share and grow. Join today!

You know what an HR Renegade is:

ren·e·gade

(n.) One who rejects conventional behavior.

(v.) To break with established customs.

You know what our mission is:

Our Mission: Impact the bottom-line by recruiting great people and inspiring them to do amazing things that drive business results.

Do you know what the principles of the movement are?

I want you to help me develop the principles of the Renegade HR movement. One that I’m particularly passionate about: People are an organization’s greatest resource. What are your ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.

Personal branding is hot buzzword right now, and generally speaking, I hate buzzwords. That said, I actually like the idea of personal branding, only I prefer to think of it as being known for what you’re passionate about and good at.

Me 2.0 is a step-by-step guide to discovering and marketing your passions. It’s written by Dan Schawbel, whose passion happens to be personal branding.

To learn more about personal branding, or get a feel for Dan’s writing style, check out Personal Branding Blog. Here’s Dan’s video about the book: