Category: Career

From Smoothie Bar to HR Star: Luck, Timing and Hard Work: Norah

From Smoothie Bar to HR Star: Luck, Timing and Hard Work: Norah

Have you ever considered how luck and timing impact your career? In this episode of True Stories at Work, meet Norah, who worked VERY hard but also showed up in the right place at the right time with the right skills.

From her serendipitous encounter at a smoothie shop to landing her first formal HR role at a bank during the 2008 financial collapse – she shares the moments that changed her career. We also discuss the challenges of office romance, return-to-work strategies, and how assuming positive intent could transform your workplace.

At the end, you’ll hear a workplace confession about the awkward moment when you accidentally send a text message complaining about a co-worker directly to that annoying co-worker, and how to recover if that ever happens to you.

From Smoothie Bar to HR Star: Luck, Timing and Hard Work

00:00 Introduction

02:14 About Norah

14:58 Norah’s Stories

30:39 Workplace Confession

40:14 Culture + Strategy Lab

40:48 Haiku for Norah

Resources

Curious about finding or being a good mentor + how to apologize, here are some links to get started:

What’s the Right Way to Find a Mentor?

The best way to apologize (according to science) (youtube.com)

 

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

 

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

Accidentally HR: From Car Sales to the C-Suite: Keri-Lynne

Accidentally HR: From Car Sales to the C-Suite: Keri-Lynne

In this episode of ‘True Stories at Work,’ Michelle Aronson interviews Keri-Lynne (KL), a seasoned HR professional who transitioned from sales and marketing to human resources by accident. KL shares her unique journey from selling cars to becoming a Chief People Officer, highlighting the importance of career ownership, empathy in leadership, and navigating challenges during the pandemic. She also discusses her experiences with global HR projects and the critical role of culture in organizations. The episode concludes with KL’s perspectives on career growth, a listener’s workplace confession, and advice for taking charge of one’s career.

 

Accidentally HR: From Car Sales to the C-Suite: Keri-Lynne

00:00 Introduction

02:39 About KL

12:34 Stories at Work

30:59 Workplace Confessions

34:16 Haiku for KL

Haiku

KL’s a baller.

Wants you hustling for big dreams,

you’re the shot caller.

 

Resources

Curious about career development + having essential conversations at work, here are some links to get started:

What’s Holding Back Your Career Development? (hbr.org)

A Managers Guide to Having the Most Essential Conversations With Your Employees

Wanna be a Baller – for your listening enjoyment 🙂

About our guest: Keri-Lynne Shaw is a Fractional Chief People Officer who started in the trenches and learning the hard way, KL has mastered the nuances of compensation dynamics and is dedicated to empowering people to recognize their market and negotiate with intent.

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

Rockstar to Recruiter: Living on the Talent Acquisition Treadmill: Travis

Rockstar to Recruiter: Living on the Talent Acquisition Treadmill: Travis

This episode of ‘True Stories at Work’ hosted by Michelle Aronson features a conversation with Travis, an experienced HR professional and Talent Acquisition leader. Travis shares his journey from aspiring to be in a rockstar to falling into Human Resources. Travis discusses the challenges, surprises, and emotional moments he has faced in his career. He reflects on a powerful moment with an executive coach that changed his outlook on leadership and his life. We discuss the importance of HR in business strategy, the value of coaching, and the need for companies to be transparent and aligned in their values and actions.

0:00 Rockstar to Recruiter: Living on the Talent Acquisition Treadmill: Travis
00:01 Introduction
02:05 Travis’ Story
11:36 Stories at Work
28:41 Workplace Confession
33:11 Haiku for Travis

Resources

Curious about the benefits of coaching + how to set yourself up for success in college and life, here are some links to get started:

Leaders Need Professional Coaching Now More Than Ever (hbr.org)

The Secret Syllabus – A Guide to the Unwritten Rules of College Success

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

HR and Culture Shock, From the US to the UK: Dina

HR and Culture Shock, From the US to the UK: Dina

Did you ever think it would be easy to work in England, because you already speak the language?  Well tune into this episode of ‘True Stories at Work’ to meet Dina, an executive coach and former HR professional, shares her experiences working in human resources across different cultures and the unique challenges that come with it. She shares challenges with the English language and culture while working in the UK, New York City and Texas. You’ll learn why she quit a job to save herself from a bad boss. And how she stays adaptable, resilient, and trusts herself to always move toward a better version of herself. We wrap it up with a workplace confession involving a playful prank in the parking lot involving a squirty wiper washer and a boss.

0:00 HR and Culture Shock, From the US to the UK: Dina
02:21 Dina’s Story
06:54 Stories at Work
30:15 Workplace Confession
33:24 Haiku for Dina

Resources

Curious about Culture Shock + How Damaging a Bad Boss is at work? Here are some links to get started:

Helping Expatriate Employees Deal with Culture Shock (shrm.org)

How Damaging Is a Bad Boss, Exactly? (hbr.org)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Listen to the show

 

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

Paycheck Power Plays: From Commissions to Corporate Jets

Paycheck Power Plays: From Commissions to Corporate Jets

This episode of True Stories at Work features a conversation with Caroline, an executive recruiter who began her career in the tumultuous year of 2010, navigating the challenges of the recession-hit job market.

Hosted by Michelle Aronson, a recovering HR executive and certified coach, this podcast dives into the human aspects of working in HR and recruitment, sharing anecdotes ranging from dealing with dress code violations to the intricacies of negotiating job offers, including unusual perks like private jets.

Caroline’s story transitions from her unexpected start in recruiting to her role in executive search, highlighting the evolving dynamics in recruitment, the importance of feedback, and practical advice for job seekers on negotiations.

The discussion also touches on the profound impact HR professionals can have on individuals’ lives, the changing power dynamics between employers and candidates, and the need for companies to adapt their recruitment strategies.

Interested in learning more about some of the topics discussed on the show? Here are some links to get started:

9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2024 and Beyond (hbr.org)

2024 Talent Acquisition Trends Led by GenAI, Skills-Based Hiring (shrm.org)

How to negotiate your salary according to an ex-Google recruiter (cnbc.com)

 

00:00 Introduction

02:34 Caroline’s Story

04:17 Stories at Work

22:06 Workplace Confession

24:39 Haiku for Caroline

 

Haiku for Caroline

Caroline asks for…

the benefits and money…

and the private jet.

 

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me!

 

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Listen to the show

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

Navigating Growth, Fear, and Humility in HR: Adam

Navigating Growth, Fear, and Humility in HR: Adam

What happens when you choose to face your fears and be vulnerable at the work? This episode of True Stories at Work shares how well these tactics worked for Adam, as he moved from a $10/hr contractor to running global programs in the London headquarters of a multinational insurance company within 8 years! Adam shares the importance of honest communication, sharing your half-baked ideas, and taking risks at work.

We discuss vulnerability, mentorship, radical candor and managing your fear at work. Adam shares his journey of falling-out of a PhD program and into human resources. You’ll hear great stories of humility, risk-taking, continuous learning, and the importance of open communication. The Workplace Confession is from a coworker of Michelle’s who used his knowledge from a sexual harassment training to avoid her investigation!

#CareerGrowth #AuthenticLeadership #Vulnerability

Timeline:

00:01 Introduction

01:22 Adam’s Story

16:05 Stories at Work

33:09 Workplace Confession

38:50 Haiku for Adam

Curious about vulnerability at work or writing better job descriptions, here are some links to get started:

Want To Write A Better, More Effective Job Description? Follow These 14 Tips (forbes.com)

How to be vulnerable at work without spilling everything, from Brené Brown | (ted.com) </li>

HBR: How to Build Confidence About Showing Vulnerability

 

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Ask a question+ make a suggestion

 

Haiku for Adam

Adam knows that growth…

Comes with fear, risk and sharing…

Uncomfortable truths.

 

Host: Michelle Aronson

Editor: Bella Hutchins

Rip off the Band-Aid and Have the Hard Conversation: Michael

Rip off the Band-Aid and Have the Hard Conversation: Michael

HR leaders have difficult conversations, around an incredible range of topics “It would just be easier to say, we don’t want you around than to say, hey, I need you to wear a bra to work.”

Welcome to True Stories at Work, where we discuss the best things about working in Human Resources. The people, the stories, and the things that happen at work that we didn’t know even about… workplace confessions!

I’m a recovering HR executive, certified coach, and business school professor who knows that THE BEST stories happen at work, from heartbreaking to heartwarming, from hilarious to outrageous.

In a past role, I was a member of a magical HR executive committee, pulled together by a Group Purchasing Organization to represent a variety of members from each region of the country.… and I loved going to the meetings to connect with them, learn what they were doing, and hear their great stories! Today, you get to meet Michael, who was a member of that executive committee.

You will get to hear his journey into and out of HR. As an attorney, he shares “The importance of ripping off the Band-Aid and having difficult conversations, even when they are uncomfortable” and even when they don’t go as planned.  “It’s actually hard to do the things when you’re in the moment and experiencing it as a human as well”

He shares a story that demonstrates the impact that subtle, non-verbal behaviors can have on feelings and perceptions “even if I’m not saying it, or even if it’s not intentional, simply the, the chair I pick is sending a message.”

The approach he took to teaching people how to treat his HR team, and how he reinforced  “that HR is not just a punching bag”.

Micheal shares a great practice to keep your leadership team connected to the people in your company who are impacted by your decisions “It’s easy to start thinking about people as simply numbers or FTEs as opposed to remembering that real people are losing their jobs, and those are having real impacts on their life.”

At the end, you get to hear a workplace confession, something that happened at work that never made it through the doors of HR. This one is about me… a director sharing a story about me that he wanted to confess on my behalf, how generous!

Curious about how to improve your skills with difficult conversations?

Here are some links to get started:

How to Handle Difficult Conversations Gracefully | Psychology Today

Things to Do Before a Difficult Conversation (HBR)

How to Create a Strong Culture (shrm.org)

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Haiku for Michael

Michael knows that growth,

Requires difficult words to…

Be shared with kindness.

#HumanResources #Podcast #TrueStoriesAtWork

#Career #Culture

Don’t Be Afraid to Follow Your Passion: Aileen

Don’t Be Afraid to Follow Your Passion: Aileen

In this episode of True Stories at Work, we introduce you to Aileen, who has spent the majority of her career in Talent Acquisition at a professional services firm and is now a career coach. Join us as we share true stories about following your passion, networking into the best jobs, and the importance of taking career risks.

Aileen graduated college with aspirations to become a Russian-speaking foreign policy expert (and maybe even high potential Karaoke-queen) but accidentally entered HR after hating her first job as a technology data analyst.

She started her HR career in executive search, which she describes as “an amazing training ground.  You’re basically thrown to the wolves.”

Aileen shares how she successfully networked her way into HR at a professional service firm (twice) and her favorite stories about:

  • the importance of taking risks in your career journey, personal + client, and the value of networking
  • how searching for a job is like dating
  • how important it is to be aware of and overcome unconscious bias to hire the BEST talent.

Aileen has taken big career risks, even fulfilling her calling to become a Chicago Public School teacher, for one year… wait until you hear what she saw when she saw happening behind her back in her classroom when she reviewed her Student Teaching video! “I could review my own video. So that night I brought it home and reviewed it and saw it and I was like, oh my gosh, I think I’m gonna get an F on this video.”

Aileen encourages you to follow your passion and energy to find the job you LOVE. “Don’t be afraid to follow your passions. Don’t think that it’s just a nice to have, or it’s, it’s a dream job. It’ll never come true. It is possible. You just have to be thoughtful.”

At the end, you will hear my workplace confession, the biggest thing that I did wrong at work… which I still believe was right in the end. It is a story of insubordination in my quest to update our dusty and dated values, and how I took a big risk to ask for forgiveness, not permission. And how no one even noticed?!

Resources Suggested Aileen

Curious about how Aileen preps her clients and some of her favorite job search tools? Check out these links to get started:

  • Create an elevator speech + have 3-4 behavioral interview stories, check out this resource to set you up for interview storytelling success.
  • Optimize your resume with jobscan.co .
  • Best job boards for seekers: LinkedIn and BuiltIn.
  • Want to reflect on what career path makes sense, check out 16personalities.com – which is a free Myers Briggs resource.
  • Or contact Aileen directly at joblinkllc.com.

Stories are what we remember and how we connect, so please share yours with me!

Let’s talk about your people strategy

Tell a story!

Make a Workplace Confession

Drop Your Wisdom

Connect on Linked In.

Listen to the show

 

Haiku

Aileen takes her own

Career advice by choosing

Work that brings her joy!