Communication Fail

A few weeks ago, I tried to connect with a woman on LinkedIn. Nothing good comes from being online, but I’m trying to meet new people. She is an accomplished leader who works for a successful venture capital firm. We have many friends in common, and her name has popped up in recent conversations. LinkedIn…

skeptical

Working in HR Makes You Skeptical

I spent the first twelve years of my career working in recruiting and HR departments. Then I spent nine years writing and speaking about HR, recruiting and technology. Working in HR makes you skeptical, and the first part of my career made a formative impact on my worldview. Whenever I hear a story about anything…

San Francisco Museum Modern Art

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

I’m not one for sentimentalism — except when I am. You know what makes me sentimental? The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. My husband and I went there before we were married, and we argued about the validity of modern art. For the record, I liked Rauschenberg and Oldenburg. My husband wanted to throw his…

Two American HR Departments

There are two types of American HR departments. The first is a younger, recruiting-focused department that uses technology to build a case for change. (Does that sound like jargon? Yes, yes it is. These talent-minded pros use jargon to talk about what they do.) They don’t care about reporting to the CHRO or VP of…

Greenhouse

Hi, everybody. I’m back from a multi-city tour that took me all over America. I had fun at my last stop — an event hosted by a recruiting company called Greenhouse. You might wonder, “What is a recruiting company?” Well, hang with me. When you apply for a job online, there are several distinct categories…