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Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are tools. HRIS systems and analytics software are tools. A self-service intranet site for your employees is a tool.

How you use these tools to recruit great employees and help them do amazing things that drive your organization… that’s a strategy.

Tools are great. Tools are really important. But they need to fit into your people strategy, and your people strategy needs to support the organization.

If you practice Renegade HR, you’re an artist. Technology, programs and policies, those are just the paintbrush and paint.

It’s not the tools that count. It’s what you do with them.

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The other day I stumbled across a presentation on how to source candidates using Google. The presentation provides some nifty tricks using boolean search terms.

For more info on boolean searches, you should also check out the Boolean Black Belt.

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Provide a fantastic candidate experience. Every single time. No exceptions.

Candidates spend a lot of time researching your company, tweaking their resume, and applying for a job. Return the favor.

Shoot candidates an email, even if you’re not interested in their resume (and even if you use a canned response, make sure it doesn’t read like one). Call when you say will. Call to reject people if you’ve interviewed them, and give them an honest response on why they didn’t get the job.

If you make candidates feel good even when they’re not getting the job, they’ll probably tell people. If you make them feel like crap about it, they’ll definitely tell people. And then you’ll have a harder time recruiting.

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Today I wanted to share with you two awesome (and free) resources that came through my inbox recently.

The first is an ebook on social media by Kodak. They have generously shared what they’ve learned from their adventures in social media in a fun, easy to read guide. If you’re new to the social media space and are interested in getting more involved, definitely give it a look.

Download “Social Media Tips” by Kodak

The second resource is a white paper on recruitment ROI by Indeed (the job search board). They provide four simple steps to tracking, measuring and accessing the ROI on your sourcing efforts.

Download “The Four A’s of Recruitment Advertising” by Indeed

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It seems everyone hates the annual performance review.

Managers hate writing them. Employees hate receiving them. Human resource pros hate chasing managers down to do them and talking to unhappy employees about their appraisals. Why do we even bother?

The goal of the performance appraisal, I think, is two-fold:

1. Have an ongoing discussion with the employees about their performance – what they’re doing well, and where they need work.
2. Have written documentation of employee performance, for promotions, discipline, and so on.

The traditional performance appraisal seems pretty ineffective at achieving either of those goals.

Keep reading…

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Tim Sackett from Fistful of Talent discusses HR metrics. (17:09)

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Direct mp3 download

Podcast Highlights

I think a lot of HR pros tend to measure without knowing the bottom-line impact to the business.

What does that mean? And what does it mean to the business. And if it doesn’t mean anything to the business, why are you measuring it?

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Last Tuesday, Lance Haun at Your HR Guy asked, “Is human resources fatally flawed?”

In the post, Lance outlined some of the reasons why the tide is turning against HR:

1. Most of HR’s value could be outsourced.
2. Unclear goals and ROI.
3. No input on business direction.

Lance’s initial conclusion was that human resources would go the way of the dinosaur and dodo.

But wait! Much like a phoenix rises from the ashes (I have to lay-off the Harry Potter), Lance thinks HR will be reborn – leaner and stronger (and dare I say sexier?) than before.

Lance’s article got me thinking: What does strategic human resources do?

I don’t mean how we’re functionally organized, but how we actually add value to the business. What makes HR worth keeping around?

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