Guest post by Cyndy “C.T.” Trivella, NAS Recruitment Communications
I’ve seen some updates lately on Twitter that made me stop
and take pause. The updates to which I’m referring were targeted at SHRM, and
more specifically some of the pricing around the national conference being held
in
I, along with a few hundred people from across the country, am a participant in a three-year initiative with SHRM to update, enhance, re-evaluate, and recommend changes to the current HR Standards currently advised by the Society of Human Resource Management. This is a big effort, and one that requires diligent dedication, unwavering participation and a sincere interest in the field of human resources. I admire and respect the effort that key individuals at SHRM in D.C. are putting forth to make this initiative a success. It’s a monumental task just to coordinate our meeting times, which require a minimum number of people to make quorum. Nevertheless, our committee leader from SHRM always seems to get it done.
It is an honor to be a part of this group and to serve on one of the many committees (mine is the HR Standards Workforce Planning Taskforce) which were formed last year. I am proud to be in the company of some very impressive HR practitioners who are not afraid to defend a position or state an opinion, even if they come up against opposition. And, by the way, there are some very notable names involved in these committees. I should also mention that our meetings are held during “standard” working hours, so our employers are also supporting the initiative by providing us the time for our involvement. It really is a team effort.
So what’s my point? SHRM gives us a backbone of knowledge to forge ahead in our field. It serves as the Oracle for all that is HR and serves as a point of reference that helps give our field credibility.
I have been in the field of human resources, in some capacity, for over 17 years and have seen a lot of changes. Still, it “feels” different this year. Maybe that’s because the past few years have dealt us an economic blow that has made us re-think things. I’m not sure, and won’t pontificate on that, but the one thing I am seeing more and more is this: Human Resources is getting a seat at the table… and that’s a very new, but very good, thing.
So for my soapbox… to those HR professionals who are members of their local chapter, but not a member of the national chapter: you need to be a member of both to get the most benefit. To those students majoring in human resources: join your local student SHRM chapter. You’ll advance your HR knowledge and networking opportunities by doing so. If you don’t have a local student group, start one. To anyone who has not attained a PHR, SPHR or GPHR, please consider it. The rules on eligibility are changing next year, and it will be increasingly difficult to qualify.
There is so much to be gained by being actively involved with SHRM. My fervent hope is that all human resource professionals, regardless of discipline, will remain, renew or elect to become both local and national members in the pursuit of personal development and professional excellence.
About Cyndy
Cyndy is the Director of Business Development in
