Greetings,

Summer is almost over and fall is knocking on the door. I enjoy summer, but I have to say fall has always been a favorite time of year for me. The beautiful weather and changing trees, football season, tailgating, school starting, etc. I also feel it’s a time to reflect on the year so far, re-energize for the last few months, and buckle down to get things done before year end. The GMA SHRM schedule is no different. We are buckling down for a few more months of awesome programming before beginning our new year as well!

Below are a few of our upcoming events, but be sure to check our programming calendar for all of them!
 

• September 15^th is our September Summit.  Dr. John Izzo, a best-selling author and business leadership expert, will be joining us to discuss Stepping up: How Taking Responsibility Changes Everything. John will talk about how we all need to ‘step up’ to be change agents whether it’s at our company, our personal lives or the world! It starts with you. You won’t want to miss this event. 
• Our October 7^th Roundtable if filling up fast! Be sure to check out Create your career GPS – Navigating your Success.
• The annual WI SHRM conference is October 14-16 at the Kalahari Resort. Hard to say no to an awesome conference like this in our own backyard.  Check out their website for more details.  http://www.wishrm.org/2015-State-Conference

 
This is also the time of year to purchase our compensation survey. It’s our second year partnering with the QTI Group for the survey and we have gotten very positive feedback about the results. This year 64 companies participated and we have local compensation data with over 264 jobs! Be sure to check it out! http://www.gmashrm.org/GMASHRM_Surveys
 
We recently had a wonderful Betty Lou Cruise for our volunteers to say “thank you” for all the time they put into our organization.  We were worried about the cool weather all day, but the clouds cleared and it warmed up just for us. It couldn’t have been a more beautiful night.  Thank you LaShana Miller and Julie Kuprianczyk from the Volunteer Engagement committee for organizing!  
 
I also want to recognize Heather Kennedy and her Workforce Readiness and Diversity Committee for organizing another very successful Job Boot Camp for our community. It started with a very inspiring speech from former Police Chief Noble Ray followed by resume writing, mock interviews, etc.  Great job team!
 
Please know my door is always open if you have any questions, thoughts or concerns. You are welcome to contact me at dkoopman@milios.com.  

 
Best Wishes,

 
Dawn Koopman, SHRM-SCP, SPHR
President
GMA SHRM

GMA SHRM and the Urban League of Greater Madison 

Since 2012, GMA SHRM and the Urban League of Greater Madison (ULGM) have partnered to bring job readiness skills to local job seekers. This year’s annual event took place on August 21st at The Urban League and served 56 job seekers.  This effort would not have been possible without the support 36 HR professionals who volunteered, our partners at the Southern Wisconsin Association for Continuing Higher Education (SWACHE), and the staff of ULGM.
 
Keynoting our event this year was Noble Wray, an accomplished local professional in law enforcement. He spoke of hope, resilience, preparedness, and the importance of deliberate practice – all aspects supported by the Job Boot Camp. Participants could choose from a variety of services including Mock Interviews, Resume Workshops, and informal discussions on the interview process, your social media presence and how to complete applications, address questions about criminal background, and apply for federal and state positions.  Participants could also learn about Urban League and Operation Fresh Start programs and talk to local colleges about continuing education. As we have done in years past, some students from local colleges were mentored during the Boot Camp. The morning of mentoring culminated in students providing resume feedback and conducting mock interviews by the end of the Boot Camp. 

We have already received positive feedback on the event. One of our partners at the Department of Workforce Development shared that one participant “was very pleased with the event. She was happy to report that Noble Wray was an excellent speaker and very down to earth. She met with Resume Critique and Interviewing and was encouraged by the HR person regarding her resume on ways to improve it before submitting for different positions.”
 
Marketing efforts for this year’s event were significantly increased in several ways:
 

• Increased outreach by our members
• Partnering with the United Way Days of Caring Signature Project on Tuesday, August 18^th. 
• Interview with NBC15 that aired on Wednesday morning and was posted to their website and social media.

Due to these efforts, participation increased by approximately 20 percent over last year . The committee will be reviewing the results of the feedback from both volunteers and participants in the next month. This feedback will be used as part of our strategic planning in October for the 2016 Job Boot Camp event.
 
If you have any questions about the event or suggestions, please feel free to contact Job Boot Camp coordinator, Rachel Martin, at millerrac@msn.com. 

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Technology in HR

Great, You Found Someone on LinkedIn.  Now What?

By Wayne Breitbarth of Power Formula

You've found someone on LinkedIn, but you're not connected to him/her at the first level. However, you want to contact this person.
 
Here are a number of ways you can contact your target, and you'll need to decide which option is most appropriate for your situation.
 
Send a message.  This option is available to you if you are in a group with the person you want to contact. LinkedIn lets you send 15 of these messages per month.
 
To message your target, go to the group to which you both belong, click # Members, and enter the person’s name in the search box. When the person’s entry comes up, click Send a Message.
 
Send an InMail.  This option is only available to premium LinkedIn members. When you're on the person's profile, simply click the gray Send <person's name> InMail button.
 
As a premium member, you get a specific number of InMails each month. You can purchase additional InMails ($10 each) by clicking Manage (on the top right when you hover over your photo). You'll see a category that is called InMail messages. This will show you how many InMails you have left, and you can click Purchase InMail to buy more.
 
If someone responds to your InMail within 90 days, you get a credit from LinkedIn for another InMail. In other words, LinkedIn gives you credit for sending InMails to people who are more apt to respond. This helps control spamming.
 
LinkedIn power user tip: If you want to message someone who isn't one of your first-level connections, join one of the person's groups, and go through the steps outlined above. This will save you $10 or one of your allotted InMails. Are you taking advantage of this?
 
Get introduced through a connection.  This feature not only enables you to have your first-level connection introduce you to your target but also gives your connection the opportunity to write something nice about you, your services, or the products you offer (assuming you pick the right connection!).
 
I suggest you call or email your friend to find out about the strength of the connection. You should also remind your friend about how an introduction works on Linkedin so it doesn’t get stuck in the Linkedin introduction pipe.
 
Include your message in an invitation to connect.  If the person is someone you want in your network, this is probably the best option.
 
Because it's advantageous to customize your invitation, go to the person's profile. Then either click the big blue Connect button or scroll over the small down arrow next to the Send <person's name> an InMail button and then click Connect. If you don't see either of these options, the person may have changed his/her setting, and he/she will not accept invitations.
 
If you don't already know the person you're inviting, some LinkedIn users consider this strategy to be somewhat aggressive. Therefore, to improve your chances for success, here are a few items you should consider prior to taking this step: 

1. Invitations have a 300-character limit, so you can't send a very long message. 
2. You should always customize your message following The Essentials of a 5-Star LinkedIn Connection Invitation. 
3. You cannot include a website link or attach a document to an invitation. 
4. You may not get a response to your message because the person may not want to connect.

Call the company and ask for him/her.  Duh! Believe it or not, this still works with some people, especially with people who grew up using the phone as a phone!
 
Send an email.  Some people provide their email address on their profile or you can use any one of the many internet tools for tracking down emails--or now that you know where the person works, check out the email format the company follows and take a guess at the person's email address.
 
Send him/her something by snail mail.  Since the dawn of email, most of us receive less physical mail. Personally, this causes me to open most of the snail mail I receive. An envelope with a handwritten address is even more likely to be opened.
 
Stop at his/her place of business and drop off some goodies.  This will surely surprise the person. When I worked at M&M Office Interiors, we would drop off a bag of plain or peanut M&M’s.
 
LinkedIn is a great tool for finding people and communicating with them, but don't forget the traditional methods.
 
Good luck engaging with the important people you find on LinkedIn!


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SHRM Certification Tutorial

Become SHRM Certified today so you can begin earning recertification credits for events you may already be attending!
 
It’s quick, easy, and free for those who are already HRCI certified.
 
Here is how you do it:

• Go to shrmcertification.org – click on “Get Started”.
• Click on “Pathway” to access the online tutorial (this takes about 45 minutes to complete)
• Follow three simple steps by December 31, 2015:
  • Document that your current certification is in good standing.
  • Sign the SHRM Code of Ethics.
  • Complete a brief online tutorial focusing on HR competencies.

After those 3 easy steps, you are certified!!!!
 
Once you complete this process, you will earn the new SHRM credential and begin a three-year SHRM recertification cycle – which means you may now start to earn SHRM recertification credits.
 
BONUS – You will hold 2 HR Certifications!!!!
 
This free opportunity is only available during 2015 and only to those who currently are HRCI certified.
 
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WI SHRM Opportunity

RUSH to get SHRM Certified before the 2015 WISHRM Annual Conference in Wisconsin Dells to be eligible for one chance to win 2 tickets to the December 13, 2015 Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys football game at Lambeau Field.  HUDDLE up to the WISHRMState Council booth to RECEIVE an entry form for the drawing. In addition, all HR Professionals who are SHRM Certified will SCORE a Free Cool Surprise (while supplies last).

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Certification Webpage now available!

GMA SHRM recently launched a new page on our website which provides information on the SHRM and HRCI Certifications, in addition to information on the student Assurance of Learning Exam. Visit www.gmashrm.org and click on “Certification Information” under the “Education and Events” header to learn more or at this link - http://www.gmashrm.org/CertificationInformation.

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SHRM Certification

Have you considered getting your SHRM certification?  The UW Madison Small Business Center offers the SHRM learning system preparation course.  The program starts September 23 and runs 9 weeks, meeting on Wednesday nights 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Grainger Hall.  This intensive program combines expert instruction with the SHRM Learning System® for SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, so you will learn faster, retain more knowledge and stay on track for success on the exam.  To learn more, visit this link: https://bus.wisc.edu/cped/sbdc/program-topics/special-programs/shrm-learning-system-course
 
Discounts are available for National or local members, with an extra discount if you’re both a national and local member!

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Community Events

GMA SHRM Board wins Community Stewardship Award!

September 15, 2015 - GMA SHRM Strategic Summit
Stepping Up: How Taking Responsibility Can Change Everything

Location: Alliant Energy Center

Presented by:  Dr. John Izzo

Taking responsibility means “Stepping up” and seeing yourself as the agent of change, whether it is changing your company or changing the world–it starts with you. In this hard hitting keynote Dr. John Izzo talks about a concept he calls 100-0 (100% Responsibility 0 % Excuses) and how each one of us can take greater accountability when we put our excuses aside by focusing on what we can do and the role we play. He gets leaders from the CEO to the front line thinking about what they can do personally to step up. Your leaders will leave knowing the main reasons why people don’t step up to take responsibility; the keys to getting people to take ownership; and how to influence people to create a culture of ownership. John brings compelling examples of how leaders and companies achieved optimal results by creating true ownership. Your audience will get practical ideas and proven methods for getting people to “own” it by inspiring people to see what’s in it for them personally when they step up and how it improves their personal brand.
 

Participants will learn:
1.Giving People A Seat at the Table
2.Giving Responsibility to Foster Responsibility
3.Learning how to encourage ideas and innovation along with divergent thinking
4.Develop a “tight-loose” style where outcomes and goals are clear while giving lots of leeway for the “how”

 
Our Presenter
Dr. John Izzo is a business leadership expert, a best-selling author, and a community leader. He consults and advises some of the most admired companies in the world, teaches at major universities, conducts leading research on workplace values, and has spoken to more than one million people across the globe.
 
For over 20 years, he has conducted pioneering work on employee engagement and helped leaders create exceptional corporate cultures.
Frequently profiled in the media, Dr. Izzo has appeared on CNN, Canada AM, the National Post, The Globe and Mail, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company magazine.
 
He’s a bestselling author of six books, including international bestsellers Awakening Corporate Soul; Values Shift; The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die. His latest book, Stepping Up: How Taking Responsibility Changes Everything offers inspiration and practical advice on how ordinary people can step up and make a difference in their work, family, community, and the world.

More information...


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GMA SHRM Member Spotlight

Name: Rachel Martin
 
Where do you currently work?  
WI Department of Health Services
 
What is the focus of your position? 
The major focus of my position is recruiting and staffing entry level positions.  Other assignments have included compensation surveys, implementing interviewing software, evaluating predictive reference checking systems, etc.
 
How long have you been in the Human Resources field?
For 17 months.
 
Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest? 
Being able to successfully recruit challenging positions. My organization recruits for about 2,000 positions a year.  Some of our locations are in remote, challenging areas of Wisconsin.  I am very happy when a challenging position(s) is filled with a qualified applicant.
 
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? 
Haba na Haba or Little by Little. My mentor starting telling me this about six months ago.  We are going through a massive change system, and it can be frustrating to watch great initiatives and improvements not be implemented.  He reminds me of this saying, so that I continue to plan the steps to achieve these implementations for a future date­­­.
 
Why did you decide to join GMA SHRM?
While in my Master’s program, I decided it would be good to learn from the best.  I wanted to become involved with the HR Community.  In addition, becoming involved with some of the communities has been inspiring.   
 

GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight

Name: Heather Kennedy
 
How long have you been volunteering with GMA SHRM? I have been a GMA SHRM member and volunteer for 2 years.
 
What committee are you volunteering with? Have you volunteered on other committees? If yes, which one?
My first volunteer experience was with the Workforce Readiness and Diversity Committee. Last year was my first year participating in our annual Job Boot Camp with the Urban League. This year, I became the Director of Workforce Readiness and Diversity.
 
Another part of my volunteer experience has been on the Human Capital Conference Planning Committee.
 
What do you enjoy about volunteering?
There is so much to enjoy about volunteering – giving back to the community, furthering the HR profession, meeting a wide variety of people, and getting to leverage your HR skill sets in a different way.
 
What would you say to others who are considering volunteering with GMA SHRM? Just do it! Volunteering on a committee is a way to get the most out of your membership dues. Each committee is set up to allow you to participate as much or as little as you can. The Committee leaders are very sensitive to the amount of time they ask of their volunteers. We recognize that we all have “day jobs,” in addition to volunteering.
 
What have you gotten back from volunteering with GMA SHRM? In addition to personal satisfaction, I value the relationships that I’ve made with people inside and outside of GMA SHRM. When you are volunteering with people with similar interests, you cultivate professional relationships, friendships, and get exposure to more people and companies that you would without GMA SHRM.
 
It’s never too late or too early to join a committee. If you’re interested in knowing what a particular committee does or to join, contact the Board member for that committee. 


If you’d like to be published in an issue of HR InTouch, please complete this profile and submit (along with a photo) to Melissa Versnik @ melissav@payrollcompany.biz

 

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Welcome New Members!

GMA SHRM welcomes the following members who joined our chapter in June 2015!
 

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Movin' Up

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In Transition

If you are a member who is in between jobs, or who is currently employed but seeking new positions or career paths, write us a brief description of your skill set, areas of expertise, what you’re looking for, etc. Send us an e-mail. We’ll publish your information in the next HR InTouch.

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HR InTouch Guidelines

Article Writing:

Do you have an interest in writing for the HR InTouch? We have an interest in learning more about your area of expertise!

Why should you volunteer? Top three reasons: 1) to share your knowledge and experiences to educate others; 2) to become more connected in the HR and Dane County communities; and 3) to contribute towards the advancement of GMA SHRM and the HR profession.

The first step is for you to choose a submission option: you can pre-submit an article to GMA SHRM at any time for us to use in any of the upcoming newsletters, you can sign up to write for a particular month, or we can put you on a list of people to contact in future months whenever we need articles.

Article length:

Because the HR InTouch is now in an online format, the size is flexible. The article should be engaging and hold readers’ attention. Include the core information in your article, and we will advise if it is too lengthy.

Solicitation:

GMA SHRM is conscious not to allow solicitation through the articles, in an effort to protect the interests of our partners and members. The nature of the article should be educational (i.e., what are the business advantages of having a product like yours) or informational. Otherwise, if you truly are interested in advertising through the HR InTouch, you can work with our Marketing Committee. As a rule of thumb for article writing, if the submission relates to a for-profit event, or specifically markets your company (vs. your industry), it is an advertisement, and should be purchased. If it is a not-for-profit event that your company is hosting, or an announcement (i.e., a SHRM member recently joined your company), it is an acceptable addition to the HR InTouch content. If you have any questions related to the appropriateness of your submission, please contact us.

If you have questions, or to submit an article, contact GMA SHRM at chapteradmin@gmashrm.org .