HR Blog by HR Association of America

8 Steps to Conducting Winning Interviews Select and Utilize Great Interview Questions-   The best interview questions are questions that allow job candidates to comfortably discuss their knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences.  The goal of every question is to get job candidates to talk and expand on their experiences.   Utilize performance based/situational questions when possible.  Be sure all job questions are work-related.   Go Virtual- Utilize Virtual Interviews-1st Round– Virtual Interviewing is a blessing and a massive time saver for both the employer and the interviewers.   There are many benefits to interviewing virtually.   Virtual interviewing eliminates the logistics of in-person interviews.  Virtual interviews save time, allowing employers the ability to interview more candidates.   In addition, virtual interviews tend to make interviewers more comfortable.  When interviewers are more comfortable (less nervous), the better interview they give allowing you to see the true candidate.  If you have yet to interview virtually, give it a try.  Virtual interviews have many benefits and are here to stay!     Speak Little and Listen Big-   The interview is the candidate’s time to talk and the employers time to listen and observe.  If you are talking more than the applicant, something is wrong.  Be sure to listen big and talk […]

According to recent 2022 salary surveys (World at Work, etc) , organizations are planning on increasing salaries and wage by at least three percent.   To keep your organization’s wages competitive and to ensure retention of your employees, thoughtful planning and budgeting is imperative for an organization’s success. If your organization is not currently using a compensation professional, organization can reference available 2022 salary studies to assist with their upcoming planning and salary budgeting.   Salary studies are based on future estimates of what organizations will do or believe they will do.  Obtaining salary studies can be expensive to obtain.  Using the overall total salary increase projection from salary studies may be sufficient for some organizations without having to purchase the studies.   Your oganization can gauge other organization’s salaries and wages by referencing the quarterly Employment Cost Index.  Unlike salary studies, the Employment Cost Index is free to obtain.  The Employment Cost Index (ECI) is a quarterly report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that details the growth of total employee compensation. It tracks the cost of labor changes, as measured by wages and benefits, at all levels of a company. The data is broken down by industry group, occupation, and […]

If looking to hire the best HR consultant for your organization, following a few good tips and asking the right questions will be beneficial.   Below are a few tips on how to find the best HR consultant and questions to ask before hiring one. Key tips to follow when searching for an HR consultant: Thorough Search and Key Words to Use– If searching online, do a thorough search online and use key word terms like “best HR consultants in Michigan, best HR consultants of 2021” or etc. Professional Sources– Use professional sources like HRDirectory.comAsk around– Ask other organizations, human resource professionals, and managers if they hired a good HR Consultant and if they have any recommendations.Ask good questions- Be sure to ask good questions about the HR consultant’s services (see below).Check references– Verify the HR consultants work by checking references. Key questions to ask when hiring an HR consultant: Why should I choose you?  The response to this question can tell you a lot about the consultant, such as how confident they are about their skills. The consultant should also be confident in recalling good examples of how they’ve handled difficult clients or situations How much experience do you have?  The […]