The HRgonaut

HR and M&A Failure or Success

davecarhart — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:48:12 +0000

Below are a number of resources that contain information linking the success of M&A to HR factors.

2006 KPMG study assessing the relative success and failure of deals and the reasons behind it. Download
2001 Rutgers study of HR issues during M&A how they can lead to success or failure. Download
2004 Watson Wyatt summary of a number of significant studies regarding M&A integration and how HR has helped drive success or failure. Download
2002 Towers Perrin article relating HR to M&A financials. Download
2003 Towers Perrin study of HR in M&A that includes some good information relating to M&A failure. Download

International M&A and HR Resources

davecarhart — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:31:53 +0000

I recently started a LinkedIn group for HR Merger and Acquisition issues. I’d like to invite anyone either working on, studying or just interested in M&A to join the group and contribute to the conversation. In the meantime, here are some useful M&A related resources related to international deals. In a future post I will include a list of resources that are focused on other aspects of M&A including the “how-to” of integration and implementation.

2009 study of international M&A by Chinese firms. Download
2004 study of international M&A in the International Journal of HRM. Download
2009 article focused on acquisitions within the ITO/BPO space with discussion of some of the major deals. Download
2010 PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) case study of the BNP Paribas / Fortis deal with great insight into the integration. Download
2003 Towers Perrin study of HR in M&A based on interviews with a wide variety of European companies. Download
2007 study with IBM on integration issues in Europe. Download
Copy of the Acquired Rights Directive (ARD), the EU directive that governs many of the human capital issues related to acquisitions. Pre-requisite reading before dealing with anything in Europe. Download

SHRM HR metrics development initiative

davecarhart — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 04:51:10 +0000

SHRM has sponsored an initiative to develop a series of HR standards under the umbrella of ANSI (similar to ISO and other voluntary industry standards). I’ve joined the “Metrics and Measures” task force that will be focusing specifically on developing human capital metrics to be used by the financial community. A recent article from the Triangle Business Journal chronicles the effort.

Integrating Talent the HP Way

davecarhart — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 02:04:58 +0000

I recently did an article with HR and leadership blogger Jennifer V Miller regarding HR within the M&A process and my experience as an intern with Hewlett Packard. You can find the full interview here.

Interviewing Across the Generations

davecarhart — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:35:34 +0000

Yesterday I spoke with Pat Delmenhorst on the subject of “Interviewing Across the Generations.” Below is a copy of the PowerPoint. Thanks to everyone for a great event!

Interviewing Across the Generations

Milwaukee JobCamp Blog Posts

davecarhart — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:46:36 +0000

To great HR bloggers, Karla Porter and Mike VanDervort, have recently put up posts highlighting Milwaukee JobCamp and the great interaction that is taking place between job seekers and the HR community. Check them out here:

Human Capital & New Media by Karla Porter

Human Race Horses by Mike Vandervort

Mastering the Art of the Follow-Up

davecarhart — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:21:00 +0000

I was just mentioned in an article on CareerBuilder/MSN about follow-up after interviews. Here’s a copy of the full piece:

Mastering the Art of the Follow-Up (original article here)

By Kate Lorenz, Jan 13, 2010

Kevin G., a marketing communications professional, is waiting.

“I applied for a position that would require an international move, had a phone interview, and was then flown down for a series of face-to-face meetings. That was about three weeks ago. Now [I’m] waiting, wondering if I should follow up. I’m currently employed, so there are LOTS of implications for me should an offer come forward, and I’m getting rather anxious.”

After finally landing an interview and going through the grilling by one or more interviewers, job seekers usually breathe a heavy sigh of relief. Not so fast. Now you have to play the waiting game, constantly checking your phone and e-mail for any sliver of communication. Unfortunately, not all hiring managers respond to candidates in the same way. If you follow up – both immediately after the interview and even after that – it could keep you on top of mind with the employer and possibly increase your chances of an offer.

“If you haven’t heard from the employer by the time they said they would make a decision, it’s all right to follow up, but do it in the correct way,” says Dave Carhart, a former recruiter who volunteers for the Milwaukee-based JobCamp, which offers free events that teach job-seeking skills. “Inquire politely and understand that often hiring timelines get pushed back due to various factors (budgets, other deadlines etc). Ask if there is an update on the position and restate your interest. If there’s no response at this point, they already may have hired someone.”

“Right now, due to the number of candidates, many companies have stopped notifying people individually that they are out of the running. It’s unfortunate, but that’s a fact of life. Repeated calls or emails will not improve your case … The key is to express interest, NOT desperation. That’s a turnoff and will torpedo you quickly,” Carhart says.

Here are seven tips for mastering the art of the follow-up.

1. After the interview, take some time to reflect as soon as you can do so, says Robin Ryan, in her book “Over 40 & You’re Hired.” Note tough questions and those you feel you didn’t answer well; list any questions you want to ask if offered the job, and record your overall impressions of the people you met and the company in general. “Do this immediately – it can be quite valuable later. Maybe you won’t get the offer, but it’s important to learn from each interview,” she writes. You can use this information in your thank-you note and its follow-up.

2. The jury is still out about the method of communication for your initial post-interview thank-you. Many experts say either e-mail or hard copy is acceptable, while others prefer one to the other. Consider the type of organization you interviewed with and its culture, advises Alan De Back in “Get Hired in a Tough Market.” Whichever format you prefer, follow up immediately — on the same day of the interview.

3. According to Martin Yate, author of “Knock ‘Em Dead,” the follow-up letter should make four points crystal clear: that you understand the job and can do it; that you paid attention to what was being said; your excitement about the job and that you want it; that you have the experience to contribute to the first major projects.

4. De Back says an effective follow-up note can be as brief as three paragraphs. He gives an example of a simple format to use: Paragraph one should thank the interviewer for the opportunity; paragraph two should refer to something you discussed during the interview (Hint: Review the list you put together from item No. 1 above); in paragraph three, thank the interviewer again and give a specific time line for when you will follow up.

5. You should show you were listening, are interested in the position and confident in your ability to do the job, Yate writes. Illustrate these things by using phrases like, “Upon reflection,” “Having thought about our meeting…”, “I recognize the importance of …” and “Listening to the points you made…”

6. “The number one thing that separates a potential job candidate from the rest of the pack is when he/she clearly cares about the company’s bottom line,” says Larry Myler, author of Indispensable By Monday (Wiley, February 2010) and CEO of profit-consulting firm More or Less Inc. The candidate should have a documented history of bringing previous employers more money than it costs to employ them (either in a sales capacity or by presenting profit-producing and/or cost-cutting ideas) and should use this information in the follow-up call or note. “It proves that the candidate understands profitability and cares about the overall success of the business, not just his own job.”

7. Follow up early in the week and not right before the weekend. If you reach out to the hiring manager on a Friday, he or she has all weekend to forget. By making contact earlier in the week, the chances are better that you’ll be remembered because the interviewer is still in work mode.

How to work with a recruiter

davecarhart — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:12:54 +0000

A career blog recently quoted me regarding how to most effectively work with a recruiter. The full text of the post is below.

How to work with a recruiter (original article here)

by Stephen Lytle

It’s Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. and for some reason, after a month of job searching with no luck, you have been called by 5 different recruiters about a job you are “perfect for”.

How do you determine which recruiter is legit? Who really knows the hiring managers? Which recruiter is the best fit?

If you’ve made the choice to work with a recruiter, here are some tips and suggestions for how to get the most out of the relationship.

Some suggestions to follow when you work with a recruiter:

Research your recruiter and their company. You will want to make sure that you are working with a recruiter who specializes in your field (Management, Information technology, Finance and Accounting, etc.). Also, you will want to make sure they work for a reputable company and are working with the end client directly. Make sure you are working with a good recruiter.

Cynthia Wade, a management recruiter out of St. Charles, IL proposes,

“Interview and choose a recruiter in the same way you would any other professional. A good recruiter will answer your questions and concerns and be willing to provide references.”

Be honest. Don’t lie about your work history, salary, job search, or personal background. Honesty is essential in building this relationship and attaining the employment opportunity that you are interested in.

Judy Taylor, a Sr. Recruiter based out of Phoenix, Arizona suggests,

“Honesty is the best policy. Be open and share exactly where you have applied, what the results were, how many recruiters you are presently working with. If you have any perceived issues, please divulge them up front so the recruiter can assist in addressing diffusing them. Provide a well rounded group of references so potential employers see an accurate picture of the type of person you are and the strengths you bring to the table in various areas.”

Keep an open line of communication. Recruiters typically see hundreds of resumes a day and speak to a multitude of candidates a day about multiple opportunities. Being patient, positive, and persistent will help you tremendously in your job search.

Dave Carhart, a Technical Recruiter out of Milwaukee, WI adds,

“Keep in touch. First, if you are working with a recruiter and your situation changes (you find a job, you get laid off, you are now open to considering other locations etc) let them know. Second, it’s ok to check in occasionally during your search but remember that recruiters are busy so don’t overdo it… Communication is key. Be honest, be open. Communicate your expertise and your skills clearly and where you feel you can make an impact. Communicate what types of jobs you actually will accept and be interested in.”

Working with a recruiter can be very beneficial to your job search. They can be an invaluable asset in attaining the employment you strive for. These tips should provide a pretty good guideline on how to work with recruiters effectively.

Slides from Presentation @ 40+

davecarhart — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:50:14 +0000

Check out the slides from the presentation I just did at the 40+ group. It was a great group of people with some wonderful discussion afterward. Several people were particularly interested in the ability to X-Ray search LinkedIn.

40+ slides (2007 PowerPoint)

40+ slides (2004 PowerPoint)

MilwaukeeJobCamp.org Launches

davecarhart — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:02:58 +0000

The new website is up (after some long hours of work figuring out how to work the Drupal platform it’s on) with speakers, events, registration and all of the exciting stuff that is happening at JobCamp, July 9th at the Potawatomi Conference Center, 11am to 7pm. Check it out at www.milwaukeejobcamp.org.

See you on July 9th!