Job Hunt Thread

[iamshack]

Serious question:

 

Why does it seem that every HR department is just terrible? I mean, I work at a company were we consistently rank in/near the top 10 to work in HR at and Im really believing that's because they actually don't do anything.

I'm confused...

[bigruss]

I'm confused...

How so? My point is that it just seems like HR departments everywhere drop the ball in terms of recruiting and organizational support.

[iamshack]

How so? My point is that it just seems like HR departments everywhere drop the ball in terms of recruiting and organizational support.

I lost you at the part where you said you work for an HR department in or near the top 10 and it is because they don't do anything...

[bigruss]

I lost you at the part where you said you work for an HR department in or near the top 10 and it is because they don't do anything...

I actually work in the IT department, but our HR department is terrible yet they have been ranked very high. From what I have seen and heard here, the HR department does not only not help most people, but actually hinders them in their work.

 

For example, 95% of the teams in the IT department have some sort of level system for job titles, so you see something like Business Systems Analyst II. The number system fluctuates a bit, but the principal is the same.

 

On my team, we have 1 title, and it's a Senior Engineer title, so even though I am fresh out of school I have the same title as someone with 20 years of experience. My manager and his manager have requested HR to fix this, and proposed multiple fixes yet HR either won't do it, or forgets to do it.

 

I just see problems from them everyday, and really wonder what they are thinking when they make the choices they do.

[LittleHurt05]

I actually work in the IT department, but our HR department is terrible yet they have been ranked very high. From what I have seen and heard here, the HR department does not only not help most people, but actually hinders them in their work.

 

For example, 95% of the teams in the IT department have some sort of level system for job titles, so you see something like Business Systems Analyst II. The number system fluctuates a bit, but the principal is the same.

 

On my team, we have 1 title, and it's a Senior Engineer title, so even though I am fresh out of school I have the same title as someone with 20 years of experience. My manager and his manager have requested HR to fix this, and proposed multiple fixes yet HR either won't do it, or forgets to do it.

 

I just see problems from them everyday, and really wonder what they are thinking when they make the choices they do.

 

What are you gonna do, fire them? They are HR, they will fire you.

[iamshack]

I actually work in the IT department, but our HR department is terrible yet they have been ranked very high. From what I have seen and heard here, the HR department does not only not help most people, but actually hinders them in their work.

 

For example, 95% of the teams in the IT department have some sort of level system for job titles, so you see something like Business Systems Analyst II. The number system fluctuates a bit, but the principal is the same.

 

On my team, we have 1 title, and it's a Senior Engineer title, so even though I am fresh out of school I have the same title as someone with 20 years of experience. My manager and his manager have requested HR to fix this, and proposed multiple fixes yet HR either won't do it, or forgets to do it.

 

I just see problems from them everyday, and really wonder what they are thinking when they make the choices they do.

Ahh, I got ya now...yes, ours is the same way...our HR department has an incredible amount of influence over what goes on in our company. Dunno if you guys remember, but a year and a half ago or so I was embroiled in this negotiation over the salary for a new position I was offered here. I asked for more money than they were offering, not a substantial sum by any means, maybe 6% over what they offered me. My manager was committed to giving it to me, but HR would not authorize it. The manager was forced to select the next candidate on the list because of the impasse with me.

 

Almost every experience I have had with our HR department has been negative. This most recent promotion I negotiated took some 2 months to process through HR because it was a new position that was to be created and I was jumping up several levels in authority and salary.

[bigruss]

What are you gonna do, fire them? They are HR, they will fire you.

Who do you file complaints against when it's HR you have issues about?

[bigruss]

Ahh, I got ya now...yes, ours is the same way...our HR department has an incredible amount of influence over what goes on in our company. Dunno if you guys remember, but a year and a half ago or so I was embroiled in this negotiation over the salary for a new position I was offered here. I asked for more money than they were offering, not a substantial sum by any means, maybe 6% over what they offered me. My manager was committed to giving it to me, but HR would not authorize it. The manager was forced to select the next candidate on the list because of the impasse with me.

 

Almost every experience I have had with our HR department has been negative. This most recent promotion I negotiated took some 2 months to process through HR because it was a new position that was to be created and I was jumping up several levels in authority and salary.

Which is exactly my point, they hinder business more than they help. And I just don't get it, how is it so consistently like this across the board? Is it a power thing where HR just does this to make sure they have power in the organization?

 

2 months for 1 new position, really how much work was it for them to process that? A few days at most? It's not like they are doing anything with it really, all the job requirements, etc were most likely already created by the manager of that position.

[southsider2k5]

Ahh, I got ya now...yes, ours is the same way...our HR department has an incredible amount of influence over what goes on in our company. Dunno if you guys remember, but a year and a half ago or so I was embroiled in this negotiation over the salary for a new position I was offered here. I asked for more money than they were offering, not a substantial sum by any means, maybe 6% over what they offered me. My manager was committed to giving it to me, but HR would not authorize it. The manager was forced to select the next candidate on the list because of the impasse with me.

 

Almost every experience I have had with our HR department has been negative. This most recent promotion I negotiated took some 2 months to process through HR because it was a new position that was to be created and I was jumping up several levels in authority and salary.

 

It means either the upper management isn't strong enough, or they want HR dragging their feet on purpose.

[iamshack]

It means either the upper management isn't strong enough, or they want HR dragging their feet on purpose.

I was told it was because in the past, people were given raises too easily and we have no real mechanism for reducing salaries...so HR was given more firm control in approving/disapproving salaries.

 

I don't really mind this...what I did mind was that they would publish ranges where they never really intended on going past the midpoint of the range, regardless of qualifications.

[cabiness42]

I don't really mind this...what I did mind was that they would publish ranges where they never really intended on going past the midpoint of the range, regardless of qualifications.

 

Lots of places do this. I applied for a job where I was overqualified, but I really wanted to move to that location and the top of the published salary range coincided with the bottom of my salary range. I met every required qualification as well as every preferred qualification, had double the experience required, and a degree higher than required.

 

I was initially offered the 25th percentile of the salary range, and was only able to negotiate them up to the midpoint of the range. All the HR lady kept saying was that I did not qualify for anything higher. I asked her if in the last 5 years she had ever seen any candidate that was qualified for anything higher than the midpoint of the range and she wouldn't answer the question.

[iamshack]

Lots of places do this. I applied for a job where I was overqualified, but I really wanted to move to that location and the top of the published salary range coincided with the bottom of my salary range. I met every required qualification as well as every preferred qualification, had double the experience required, and a degree higher than required.

 

I was initially offered the 25th percentile of the salary range, and was only able to negotiate them up to the midpoint of the range. All the HR lady kept saying was that I did not qualify for anything higher. I asked her if in the last 5 years she had ever seen any candidate that was qualified for anything higher than the midpoint of the range and she wouldn't answer the question.

Yeah, the key question is to ask "what qualifications would the ideal candidate possess?"

[The Beast]

So I didn't get the position at the place I interviewed as an SEO copywriter intern but last Friday, some magic happened at my current position.

 

Our company is "like a family" and so we "pledged" what we could offer to the organization. My pledge listed my job responsibilities and I felt like a liar saying it. The next day, I met with HR for lunch and said I wasnt planning on doing media relations after my current position, and that the company deserved better when it got money. Since our copywriter left, they offered me a job to manage people, write site copy, be the liaison with upper management for the new PR firm I am recruiting, and learn what I would have learned at the other job.

 

It's pretty much win win, but I do need a better paying job eventually to actually live.

[HuskyCaucasian]

I was just sent an email that said the CTO is submitting paperwork tomorrow to make me a job offer *crosses fingers*

[farmteam]

I was just sent an email that said the CTO is submitting paperwork tomorrow to make me a job offer *crosses fingers*

 

Good luck!

[2nd_city_saint787]

I need an opinion on something.

 

A week from today I have a meeting in Chicago about getting my PERC card with a felony on my record.

 

Should I bring up the fact that my most recent job was with a security company in IL in which I didn't have my PERC and I lied on my application about my felony. Do you think they may call my past employer to see that I denied the felony?

 

At this job I was named team leader so I really wanna bring it up but Im afraid it may backfire on me and I really need this PERC card!

[G&T]

I need an opinion on something.

 

A week from today I have a meeting in Chicago about getting my PERC card with a felony on my record.

 

Should I bring up the fact that my most recent job was with a security company in IL in which I didn't have my PERC and I lied on my application about my felony. Do you think they may call my past employer to see that I denied the felony?

 

At this job I was named team leader so I really wanna bring it up but Im afraid it may backfire on me and I really need this PERC card!

 

Who are you meeting with in Chicago?

 

Problem with lying is, once you do it...you sorta have to live it.

[2nd_city_saint787]

Who are you meeting with in Chicago?

 

Problem with lying is, once you do it...you sorta have to live it.

 

The Enforcement Unit for the division of professional regulation.

 

Do I just not even bring up the job even though I was a team leader? Do I attempt to further lie and say they we're cool with the felony as long as it didnt happen in IL. I have a friend who got in before me that had a felony in Indiana so I knew they only ran a background check for IL.

[G&T]

The Enforcement Unit for the division of professional regulation.

 

Do I just not even bring up the job even though I was a team leader? Do I attempt to further lie and say they we're cool with the felony as long as it didnt happen in IL. I have a friend who got in before me that had a felony in Indiana so I knew they only ran a background check for IL.

 

The last thing you should do is put words in their mouth. Furthering the lie is a mistake. You have to contain it.

[2nd_city_saint787]

The last thing you should do is put words in their mouth. Furthering the lie is a mistake. You have to contain it.

 

What about bringing up the point that I know the guy that got in ahead of had a felony and still got in?

 

I really wanna bring up my last job for the simple fact that I was named team leader, which shows them that I am cut out to be a security guard.

 

At the same time I dont wanna out my last company since once/if i get the card I plan on trying to get more work from them.

 

Would it look immature/wrong of me to say "well my buddy got in with a felony so I followed suit, I just really wanna work in the security field so I did what I had to do"

 

Is it illegal to lie on an application??

[G&T]

What about bringing up the point that I know the guy that got in ahead of had a felony and still got in?

 

I really wanna bring up my last job for the simple fact that I was named team leader, which shows them that I am cut out to be a security guard.

 

At the same time I dont wanna out my last company since once/if i get the card I plan on trying to get more work from them.

 

Would it look immature/wrong of me to say "well my buddy got in with a felony so I followed suit, I just really wanna work in the security field so I did what I had to do"

 

Is it illegal to lie on an application??

 

Yes, it is illegal to lie to the government on an application.

 

So you pretty much have to tell the truth. The chances that they call a former employer to find out if you lied about a felony probably isn't very high if you weren't getting a PERC.

[2nd_city_saint787]

My argument right now is "I knew I could get in with this company because a worker there before me got in with a non IL felony. I took this opportunity and turned out to be a team leader, it's that kind of opportunity that I'm looking for here today. I proved with my last opportunity to be a more than capable security guard in the state of IL."

 

Hope it works for me.

[The Beast]

New job at the startup is going okay but I am going to keep looking outside of my field at some growing Chicago companies. Found one for a FMLA specialist, a bit of a change for me, but it's got a salary, benefits and nice hours. Looking to leave if we don't get paid for the hours we work over 40, which is actually happening...they say it's not illegal to not pay someone for any time worked over 40 hours (hourly wage if that makes a difference.)

[southsider2k5]

New job at the startup is going okay but I am going to keep looking outside of my field at some growing Chicago companies. Found one for a FMLA specialist, a bit of a change for me, but it's got a salary, benefits and nice hours. Looking to leave if we don't get paid for the hours we work over 40, which is actually happening...they say it's not illegal to not pay someone for any time worked over 40 hours (hourly wage if that makes a difference.)

 

It is illegal. Call and report them.

[iamshack]

It is illegal. Call and report them.

I wouldn't do that...then they'll just pay him his money and fire him and hire a bunch of unpaid "interns" instead.

 

You have to make a decision as to whether you think there is any kind of future with this company or not. If yes, then keep working hard. If not, get the hell out of there first chance you get.