1. What are mystrengths?
Resource Optimization:
I shouldbeginbyexplainingthatIpresentlyworkinthe fieldof Agriculture withRose Acre
Farms.RAF isthe secondlargesteggproducerinthe US and because of our live animal
population,greatcare must be takento ensure the healthandsafetyof the hens.In2015,
shortlybefore Istartedwiththe company,a majorbirdfluepidemichitthe poultryindustry.
Thisissue causedRAFto have to shutdowntwo farmsin Iowaand place all those employeeson
indefinite layoff.Clearly,stepsneededtobe takentoavoidthe continuance of thisdisruptive
disease.The parametersetthatmostimpactedmypositionasa Regional HRManager isthe
restrictionof movementfromone farmto another.Icover 5 companylocationsacrossthe
region,mostof whichmaintainahenpopulation.The rule setstatedthatno one couldgo from
one farm to anotherwithoutfirstwaiting72hoursto avoidthe transmissionof the disease.
Obviously,therewere manyotherrestrictionsset, butthisisthe one thatcontinuestomost
impactmy position.Thisnewrule meantthatassoonas I had to finda way to “visit”all of the
farmswithoutphysicallybeingpresentonthe farmveryoften.Mygoal wasto make the best
use of available resources,i.e.contactwithme asthe HR Manager, anddistribute thatas
smoothlyandobjectivelyaspossible.Iaccomplishedthisbytakingthe time togoto each of the
farmsand introduce myself.IexplainedthatIwouldbe gettinganoff-siteofficeandwhere that
locationwouldbe shouldtheyneedtocontactme.I alsoemailedall of the managerstoprovide
themwitha schedule of whenIwouldbe ateach off-site locationandwhatmyopen-office
hourswouldbe.Still,thiswouldnotbe the same levelof communicationtheywere usedto.SoI
startedemailingregularupdatestothe managementoneachfarmwithmy contact information
and the bestwaysto get aholdof me at anygiventime.Inaddition,Imade sure thatthe farms
knowwhatresourcesare available tothemwhenIam not around.For example,we doall of our
applicationsonline nowandnoteveryoneknowshow touse a computeror hasone available to
themso I reachedoutto the Missouri JobsCenter,withlocationsall overthe state,toprovide
computerandapplicationassistance toourapplicants,whichisaservice thattheyofferto
employeesandjobseekersforfree. All inall,the changesinavailabilityhave beenan
adjustmentforeveryoneinvolvedbutitcontinuestoworkforus andwe have beenable toget
the staffingandcommunicationwe needdaytoday.
ProblemSolving:
I believeproblemsolvingskillstobe the breadandbutterof HumanResources.AsI mentioned
previously,RAFswitchedtoanonline applicationprocessrecently.Itwasa change that took
place justovera weekafterIbeganworkingatthe company.Asa rural employer,the farm
companyhad alwaysgottentheirapplicantsbywordof mouth,employee referrals,orpeople
stoppingby the farm.We wantedto expand ourreachto the surroundingareasand goingtoan
online recruitingsystemallowedustodo that,as well asprovideduswithmanyadditional
benefitssuchasan online onboardingprocess,cloud-basedpersonnel files,etc.The biggest
concernthat the farm managementexpressedonce the onlineapplicationsystemwentlive was
regardinghowpeople wouldapplywithoutacomputer.It’ssurprisinglycommoninrural
communitiestofindthatpeople oftendonothave a computerat home or simplydon’tknow
howto use one.Additionally,we still hadinterestedpeople showinguptothe farms on a

2. regularbasisaskingforapplicationsandthe website we wouldreferthemtoforan application
wasn’tthe easiestthingtoremember(careers-goodegg.icims.com).So,inordertopromote the
transitiontoonlyonline applications, Iwenttomysupervisor,the VPof HR, andsuggestedthat
we printsimple businesscardsforthe farms withthe website onthemtopassout to interested
partiesinlieuof paperapplications.The ideatookflight andotherHR departmentstaff added
linesonthe cards for applicantstowrite downtheirusername andpasswordthattheywould
needlaterif we were tohire them.Once the cards were developed,theywere printedin English
on the frontand Spanishonthe back and distributedtoall of ourfarms nationwide.Suddenly
the managementonthe farmswas lessresistantandsaw that steppingawayfrompaper
applicationscouldserve them.The farmsIwork withalsosaw a significantandsuddenincrease
inthe numberof online applications.Later,tobetterserve the farmsIvisit,we changedto
providingpostcards,ratherthan businesssizedcards,thatwouldallow usthe roomto advertise
the advantagesof workingforour companyas well asmy office hoursatthe locations,myHR
voicemail box phone number,andthe locationandcontactinformationforthe Missouri Jobs
Centerforfurtherassistance.Thissimplesolutionhasbeenagreatassetto our recruitingefforts
as well asacts as a simplifierof communication.The informationprovidedisclear,concise and
writtendownforfuture reference.
Change Management:
As I explainedpreviously,the new online systemforrecruitingandapplicationswentlivealittle
more than a weekafterIstarted.That meantthat I had little tonotime to getorientatedwith
the newcompanyand industryontop of rollingouta significantchange toa majorprocess.To
thisday I believe thatmymanagerhiredme,at leastinpart,because I hadgone through the
change to online recruitmentatmypreviousemployer.ThatmeantthatI wouldbe the onlyone
inthe HR departmentof RAFwhohad experience inthischangeover.The new systemwe put
intoplayis iCIMS.For those whodon’tknow,it’sa fantasticsystemthatprovidescustomizable
optionstobestsuitindividual companies.IrecommendiCIMStoanycompanylookingfora way
to make the transitiontoonline recruitment,personnel files,onboarding,etc.Priortothis
change overRAF had alwaysdone everythingonpaper.Whensomeonewantedtoapply,they
had to turn ina paperapplication,whichinturnwasonlyavailable tothe personwhoknew
where tofindthemat any giventime andwere noteasilyaccountedforbythe HR department
coveringthe region.WhenRAFdidonboarding,the HRmanagerdoingthe orientationhadto
make sure to keeporiginalsof all of the neededdocumentsandthenensure thatcopieswere
legible andthenmake sure theywere sortedandactuallyreceivedbysnail mail bywhichever
departmentneededthem.Icould goon,but it’sa familiarstory.It’salsoa horror storyto
anyone bornintothe age of technology.Itwasmy pride andjoyto bringthe companyintothe
21st
century.I will state thatmybiggestchallenge indoingthistransitionwasconvincing
managementthatlearningtouse the computerwasintheirbestinterest,butwithout
managementsupport,itwouldfail.SoIwentpersonallytoeachlocationandmade sure
everyone couldfollow alongwhileIshowedthemhow toapplyonline andthenwhere tofind
the newapplications,andsearchforpeople,etc.Intermsof bringingvalue tothe change,Iwas
able to convince the hiringmanagerstodothe extrastepsof helpingnew hiresdothe steps
online byexplainingthatwhenthe new hiresdothe orientationtasksonlinepriortoorientation
it allowsthe managerstogettheiremployeesupto3 hours faster.Change isn’tcomfortable for

3. anyone andit has beennearlyayearand a half of change for RAFfroman HR perspective but
nowdocumentsare accessible online andcompliantwithlegal standards,applicationdatais
easilyaccessible,andjobpostingsreachawideraudience allowingustobringinhigherquality
employees.Bylisteningandbringingvalue tothe change,Iam able to continue tomove the HR
processforwardfor RAF.
Intellectual Curiosity:
Askingquestionshasalwaysbeenastrengthof mine.Iwasborn witha curiousmindand I have
a hard time acceptingthe waythingshave alwaysbeendone justbecause theyhave always
beendone thatway.In my time withRAFI have hadto take advantage of myquestionasking
nature extensivelyandIhope to continue doingsothroughoutmycareer.Intermsof the
change-overtoonline HRprocesseslistedabove,questionaskinghelpedme tofigure outwhy
specificallythe managementstaff weresoresistanttothe change and to bringthemonboard. I
continue touse my questionaskingskillsnow asthe HR departmentismakingpolicychangesto
loweremployee turnover.Ireachoutregularlytomy superiorstotry to askwhat the goalsof
the changesare, whoinitiatesthem,where the ideascome from, etc.Iturn those answersinto
questionsaboutemployee engagementvssatisfactionandappeasement.Whatcanwe do to fill
our managementpipelines?How canwe get employeestowanttobe at work?What would
happenif we focusedonengagingemployeestodotheirbestratherthan focusingsolelyon
howto fire lessof those whodon’tcare aboutthe company?It’s greatthat the companyhas
beenaroundmore than 85 years,butwhat are we doingtopushourselvesthroughtothe next
85? I pride myself onnotbeingafraidtoquestionthe waythingshave alwaysbeendoneforthe
purpose of critical thinkingandanalysisbecauseaskingquestionsishow we all learnandgrow.
Objectivity:
AnotherkeyHR skill thatIpossessisobjectivity.Ibelievethatitisessential foranHR
professionaltobe as objective aspossible inall situations.Myexampleof thisskill comesfrom
my presentposition withRose Acre Farms.Iam regularlyaskedtoinvestigateclaimsof
harassmentat the locationsIcover.In one situation,inparticular,Iwascalledbyan employee
whoclaimedthathissupervisorwasharassinghiminvariousways.Iwentto the farm to
investigatethe claim,performedseveral interviewsandaskedmanyquestions.Itwouldbe very
easyto assume thatthe employee wastellingthe truthandthathis claimsof havingan unfair
workenvironmentwerejustified. Inthe case of thisemployee,however,itturnedoutthatthe
supervisorwasthe one whowasbeingharassedandeventhreatenedbythe employee whohad
originallyfiledthe claim,thoughthe supervisorhadnotreportedit.Maintainingobjectivity
duringthe investigationof thisclaimhelpedensurethatthe true harassmentwas stoppedas
quicklyaspossible.