trakstar-markrarr

Recruiterbox is now Hire, part of the new Trakstar Trifecta alongside Learn and Perform

Learn more about how the Trakstar platform is revolutionizing talent management through integrated, flexible solutions.

Trakstar
All Blog Articles

Open Letter: Dear First HR person on the team

In Human Resources — by Trakstar

Hey you! Yes, you. The one standing in his office, staring at a stack of resumes, wondering how you’re ever going to build a company from the ground up . This letter is for you. It’s a reminder of what your job really is and how to do it when no one is there to show you:

1. Remember that your job is always about people. Finding the right ones, communicating with them, and aligning corporate culture to the excited new jobseekers that you speak with and maybe even hire. When you are overwhelmed with administrative tasks, this is an easy one to forget. Put people first and at least some of your to do list will fall into place.

2. There are so many tools out there built specifically for you. Companies are wising up about just how many small to medium businesses there are in this country and how each one of them contributes to the economy. To that end, recruiting technology , HR systems and even RPO companies are building and/or tailoring solutions to the smaller company with price tags to match. Case in point, Trakstar Hire was built to make your job easy and to help your team join in the hiring!

3. Your CEO is relying on you. There’s a reason that a company’s leadership decides to create a human resources function. It’s completely necessary. Once a company gets to a certain point, hiring managers can’t do all the work of hiring and people management anymore. That’s why you’re here, because the CEO needs you on that wall. This should thrill you, as the project economy progresses, your job has never been more secure.

4. Advice is good. Advice tailored straight to you is better . Many of the blogs, ebooks and articles out there may not apply to you. YOU are corporate HR, you don’t have on-call legal counsel or a recruiting team. When it’s time to develop your employer brand, guess who will be creating the messaging? That’s right. YOU. So get advice not just from the big-time pundits (they are pretty smart) but from people who have walked the walk and really DONE your job. We’ll be highlighting some of the best ones here PLUS continuing this series so you always know where to go to get great advice.

5. You are going to mess up. (Pro Tip: Every one does from time to time) You’re going to (sometimes) lose great hires and you might mess up payroll (we’ve heard it all here at Trakstar ). Some candidate is going to get mad when you don’t hire them and send you a scathing email (but it’s okay, they’re just blowing off steam). People will point out the typos in your new job ads and complain when they find out that Sue in accounting makes more than they do. Are you scared yet? Don’t be. You’re going to shape the company from this moment on. If and when you leave, your legacy will live on and you will have a wealth of experience in hiring, firing and management that few can match.

6. It’s less about hiring, than hiring management. If you can manage the processes you’re building, you are way ahead of the game. Start by selecting your tools, whether it’s an Applicant Tracking System or a binder filled with the latest policies on FMLA, EEOC and any other legislation that affects your job, create a place (online or offline) where you can access all your information. Then build a plan for the month, the quarter and the year (these can be loose and informal). When things start to get busy, as they inevitably will, referring back to the plan keeps your processes and your learning in place.

7. Go Pro. Having a mentor is so important in a business as all-encompassing as human resources. If there are no mentors close by (and really, there ought to be unless you are working virtually) then find a way to join a professional association or community. If you have experienced professionals to go to with even your simplest questions, count yourself lucky.

8. Stand on your own two feet. There is a time to hire by committee and a time to make the move that means you secure an A-list player instead of the so-so second choice. When you depend too heavily on everyone’s opinion, you drag the process out; angering candidates and potentially slowing down business while your company argues over who would best plug the hole. Startups and small businesses don’t have the luxury of hiring slow, so remember your process, be clear on the skills needed and then make an executive decision.

9. Keep coming back to this blog. Trakstar Hire is all you need recruiting software in a box. We were built for use from the first hire, by the first person there hiring. Whether you are human resources, corporate recruiting, a manager looking for help or someone in between, we’re building a series of articles to help you create a hiring function in your organization that will scale with your growth . So come on back or ask us a question and we’ll answer it here!

photo credit: philipp daun via photopin cc


Trakstar Hire is considered the most user friendly hiring software on the market. If you’re ready to take your recruiting and hiring to the next level, request a Trakstar Hire demo today.


Who is Trakstar?

Trakstar is a multi-product HR software provider helping organizations put the people back in people management. Develop and align your staff through better recruiting and applicant tracking, performance management, and learning management. For a more integrated solution to talent management, check out our website and request a live demonstration today.

© 2024 Trakstar