Forum Moderators
joannie
2,294 Posts
Don't look now, but we have new moderators.:eek: The great and powerful Ragee has left us. I wonder if the newbies have been forewarned.
Comments
By the way, did you hear? 60 is the new 40. 40 is the new 20. And "Using the Employers Forum" is the NEW "HR de Har Har".
Hi, Everyone,
I'm the "newbie" here at MLS. My sordid past began as a graphics designer and wandered through print production, mail room management, facilities management, back into print production, then administration management and, finally, to a Director of HR position in 2001. Doesn't compute, does it?
I had worked for the same company for about a thousand years and one day they asked me, as Director of Admin., to take over HR. I remember thinking, I always like a good challenge so why not? (Either the smartest or, maybe, the stupidest thing I've ever done.)
I think I had about a week and a half to learn everything I could about HR. Fortunately, my company was a subsidiary of a larger organization with a great HR department filled with truly wonderful folks who helped me - a lot - and then - a lot more. I was very lucky to be able to reap the benefit of their years of experience (without which I would have sunk like a rock to the bottom of the pond).
After being downsized, I came to work for MLS as an HR Technical Writer. My focus is on our new website, HRLaws.com. You really should check it out! It's a subscription site with loads of information. "Not just the facts, Mam." But, very in depth insight into how employment law is applied in actual situations.
HRLaws.com also has books and manuals that have been published by MLS along with forms, posters, policies, hot topics, blogs, and, of course, the actual laws and regs for both federal and all the states. So, take a peek via the free trial period. I think you'll like it.
OK, commercial's over. Now, more about me.
I have one child, a daughter, who, although fully grown, is still the light of my life. I also have two cats. Yep, cats. Emily is a Siamese and Ollie is part Siamese. She's a sweetie who likes to bite and he's a whiner who likes to sit in my lap, sleep in my lap, clean himself in my lap, and swat at Emily while in my lap. If I'd hold the bowl for him, he'd also eat his food while sitting in my lap. (It will be a cold day in 'you know where' before I'll do that.) I love to read, garden, read, dabble in graphic art, read, go to movies, read, and spend time with family. Oh, did I mention that I like to read? (Silly attempt at humor. :-/) (Pay no attention to that woman behind the curtain. :-/ :-/)
Enough about me. Tell me about you all.
Best wishes for a great Spring!
Sharon McKnight, SPHR
Your story sounds familiar. It is amazing how many HR people got into HR by accident. I am my company's accountant, but when we downsized in 2000-2001, we no longer had enough people to justify having an HR department. Thus, HR (and payroll, and purchasing, and ....) was dumped on me. I am also extremely grateful to our parent company's HR department. Between them, this forum, and my connections in SHRM I always have someone to turn to when I find myself flumoxed.
I hope you enjoy moderating us. To do so you only have to have a strange sense of humor.
Nae
I'm really glad to be here and look forward to communing with the group.
Regards,
Sharon
Sounds like pretty much the same thing that happened to me happened to you as well. My first week in HR, I helped our corporate office lay off about 30 associates. A few, including the HR rep, were offered alternate positions in the company. That made it a little weird for me, and for her, but she was great about it and helped me to learn the routine as well.
I have found HR to be fascinating and frustrating depending on what's happening at any given time and am always interested in hearing about other HR folks' experiences. So, if you have any great HR stories, spill.
Sharon