The HR Mentor

In this episode, we are diving into what I believe is an often overlooked part of your job search—identifying your ideal work environment. I know when you are looking for work or a new career opportunity, you are more focused on whether or not you have what the employer wants, especially early on in your career. But if you are going to be successful, it is also important to consider what works for...

In this episode, I am going to talk about the most thrilling part of your HR job search. It’s the moment you have all been waiting for, hoping for, dreaming about, but also kind of dreading. It’s your job offer. This moment can be as exciting as it is nerve-wracking, and even though every job seeker wants one, it can be stressful to receive because now you have to make a decision.  Should you acce...

Sukhpal Kaur or Sukhii as her colleagues and friends know her is an HR Coordinator at Great Canadian Entertainment at the Chances Casino Dawson Creek. Prior to moving to Dawson Creek, Sukhii attended Thompson Rivers University joining the university in 2018 as an International Student. As she describes it she has been on a beautiful journey since then making the transition from International HR St...

Most people would prefer to avoid office politics, especially early in their career. Unfortunately, they are an inevitable part of working in organizations. It doesn’t mean you will always experience it first hand, but learning how to navigate messy situations in the office when you are getting started in an HR career can be very helpful to your career trajectory. In this episode, I share strategi...

You know, there are a lot of reasons to love working in HR. It is interesting and there is a lot of variety. Truly no two days look alike. You also have the opportunity to influence and connect with people, which is something I wanted in a career. But a career in HR is not without its challenges; one of them is that it can be quite stressful. But you don’t have to let the stress get to you. In thi...

In this episode, I am demystifying another HR buzzword making the rounds - quiet hiring! I’ll talk about what quiet hiring is (don’t worry, you won’t need to whisper at work) and why it is helpful to employers. I also share the downsides of this freshly named but tried and true talent management practice and how you, as an employee, can protect yourself and take advantage of a great opportunity. H...

A lot of us are uncomfortable with self-promotion. But when you are engaged in a job search or you are seeking opportunities to advance your career, modesty is not your best strategy! If you want to get noticed as a job candidate and rise to the top during the selection process, being comfortable expressing your value is critical. Knowing your strengths and what you offer a potential employer in a...

Most employers and HR professionals don’t want to think about their employees leaving the organization, especially in this labour market. But when you think about it logically, if new employees join, it usually means someone is also going. The reality is people leave and join organizations all the time. This means we can expect more than a few farewells throughout our careers. What you may not kno...

If you are a student, studying HR or any other subject, this episode is for you! I had the pleasure of sitting down with two of my students to talk about their involvement with our TRU Human Resource Management Student Club. They shared how they became involved with the club, what has kept them engaged and taking on leadership roles and what the career benefits joining a student club can offer you...

The resume…love it or hate it, when you start a job search, you need one. Often students and new grads ask me to look at theirs and what I usually see is that they have left off some really important information that could help them get an invitation to an interview. In this episode, I summarize three pieces of information you might leave off your resume and how and where to include them. I also g...

Today marks a very sombre anniversary - 365 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  In recognition of the lives lost and the continued threat to Ukraine and Ukrainians, we will not have an episode of the HR mentor this week. Instead, I will share some brief thoughts on the last 365 days and encourage you to take some time to reflect and find a way that you can support Ukraine today an...

When most people think of job search strategies, they think of preparing a perfect resume and cover letter or prepping for tough interview questions. Both of which are important. But rarely do job seekers wonder if their state of mind is ready to support them in the process ahead. Job seeking is a process riddled with emotions, hurdles and disappointments. Yes, when you get the role you were after...

What better way to kick off the year (and a new season of the podcast!) than talk about what will be important for HR teams in the year to come? To be honest, I am not seeing a lot of changes in the 2023 landscape in terms of the focus of the HR function, at least in North America. We seem to be in the endemic mode of the pandemic, and that, of course, has opened up the world for more travel and a...

Well my friends, we are here. Pop the champagne!! The end of Season 3 of The HR Mentor!! So on this season finale I have 5 wonderful new questions from listeners that I am going to answer in this special annual Q & A episode. There is a great mix of guidance for students, new grads and those of you who are early in your career, but with some experience. I am excited for you to hear them. Here are...

If you’ve been listening to me for a while, you know I like to dispel myths and simplify the path to your ideal HR role. And today’s episode is no exception. A lot of early career job seekers and students are hesitant to reach out to potential employers because they fear they will be seen as annoying or pushy. But nothing could be further than the truth. In fact, what you may not realize is that f...

Today, I want to talk to you about a trend or scenario that is causing concern for both employers and job seekers and share some thoughts on what I think you can do about it. This trend is workplace flexibility.  Everyone wants it and employers are scrambling to figure out how to offer it and still run their business or organization. In this episode I am going to offer a few suggestions for both s...

In this episode of The HR Mentor we have a fantastic guest! Heenle Turner is the Vice President of Content and Consulting at the ALL IN Company, and a certified HR Professional passionate about finding creative solutions to help businesses succeed. She has provided consulting services to more than 200 businesses of varying sizes and industries. This extensive experience in sales, customer service,...

Has anyone ever told you to calm down, told you that you were overreacting or being too emotional? Have you ever felt like you had to hide how you were feeling at work, with friends or family? I’m pretty sure everyone has experienced this at some point. And as an HR professional have you ever had a Manager or colleague tell you, they can’t stand it when people bring their feelings or emotions to w...

There is no more perfect day than Labour Day to talk about what seems to be on every employer’s mind - quiet quitting. In this episode I am going to share my perspective on this latest buzzword and offer you a few ideas on what to do, or not to do about it as an HR professional.  If you have thoughts or ideas on this topic after listening,  I would love to hear from you. Drop a message on LinkedIn...

Has anyone asked you lately, "Where are all the workers?" I’m guessing if you are in an HR role you have probably heard this question multiple times. I know I have! And while you may have some ideas as to what is happening in the labour market right now, you may not feel totally certain. Don't worry, this episode will help you answer this question next time you get asked! In episode 56 of The HR M...

In today’s episode, I have a special treat for you. Today what you will hear on the podcast is a sneak peek into my HR Career Accelerator program.  This program is a six-module online course designed to take you from an HR job seeker to an HR job offer, which is a journey I know so many of you are already on. The good news is registration is opening soon (July 2022)! Today I am sharing an audio ve...

Today on the show, my guest is Steven Rothberg. Steven is the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of College Recruiter job search site. At College Recruiter, they believe that every student and recent graduate deserves a great career. Over the course of a year, College Recruiter helps seven million students and recent graduates find part-time, seasonal, internship, coop, apprenticeship, and other...

Many of us are uncomfortable talking about ourselves, especially at events and during networking opportunities. As a shy extrovert, I used to find engaging with people I didn't know and talking about what I do and what I am passionate about very uncomfortable. But I also learned over the years, that being able to do this is critical to career success. This episode is for those of you that have the...

Not every employer with an HR job is going to be one that you should be pursuing. That’s right, I said it. You should not be applying for every single HR job you see posted. You see, in the same way an employer will target certain job candidates so that there is a higher possibility of a successful match, you don’t want to apply to every employer because when you target your choices you increase t...

As I have talked about many times before on this show, getting that first opportunity can be challenging. You may not quite have enough experience that potential employers are looking for and you may be lacking the confidence needed to put yourself out there and sell an organization on what you can offer. These are of course skills you can develop once you know-how. One way that some job seekers s...