The Weekly HRExaminer v1.06

Home

The Weekly HRExaminer v1.06

Topics: Five Scenarios, HRExaminer, John Sumser, More2Know, Movers/Shakers, Reviews, The Go/The-Know, by John Sumser

February 12, 2010 HRExaminer v1.06

Reminder: Enter our Blank Slate Challenge to win an Apple iPad – submission deadline Feb 28, 2010

The New Cities of Specialization | Five Recruiting Scenarios 5: Guild Cities

2009 marked the first time in human history that more people lived in the city than on the farm. Cities are increasingly organized by profession. Silicon Valley for Software and Consumer Electronics, Seattle for Software and Large Scale Engineering, Los Angeles for Entertainment , Houston for Energy, Austin for Software, New York for Finance and Publishing (what’s left of it), Northern New Jersey for Pharmaceuticals, Boston for Education. A new economic organization is beginning to emerge. It’s the hyperlocal version of recruiting and outsourcing. When expertise is concentrated by Geography, the local market gets employees while the national market buys contracts.

Is HR Relevant and Does It Matter? | Guest Post, Kevin Wheeler

Kevin Wheeler, is known globally for his interests in learning, recruiting and talent development. HR is reaching an inflection point that seriously affects the direction and scope of the profession and its practitioners. Kevin notices the trend towards results and away from process management. He echoes the frustrations expressed by may CEOs about the utility and relevance of the HR function. In the end, Kevin sees a future for the profession but one that is different from a straight forward trajectory.

In the Know
According to Andreas Weigland, Amazon.com’s former chief scientist, more data was generated by individuals in 2009 than in the entire history of mankind. Human attention, however, is finite – and arguably, it shrinks as we age. See Go Big, Get Your Employees on the Bus or Go Home in this week’s In the Know column.

Can online friends ever build a talent pipeline? | Review
Cachinko is a well thought out startup in its fourth year that uses PayPal to generate social referrals of job candidates. A good visual interface and easy-to-understand business rules might be just what’s needed to take automated social recruiting to the next level.

On the Go
A non HR careerist with strong business background just reached the pinnacle of the HR profession at Liz Claiborne. Check out Ms. Piovano Machacek and the other HR leaders making big career moves in this week’s On the Go.

Top 100 Influencer
Meet this week’s Top 100 Influencer Ann Bares. For most people, compensation is a dry arena for faceless practitioners. Ann Bares sets that model on end. Ann is able to use the compensation discipline to shed light on key organizational issues and along with her online writing has made her a top online influencer (#9 on our Top 25 Digital Influencers List).

About the author

John Sumser

John Sumser is a principal analyst for HRExaminer, an independent analyst firm covering HR Technology and the intersection of people, tech, and work. John’s mix of experience over the course of his career gives him a broad and unique perspective on the industry. Like anyone trying to process a lot of information, he is two or three steps ahead in some areas and still learning about others. Sumser’s work includes deep research into the nooks and crannies of HR Technology to identify and explain rapidly evolving trends. Built on a foundation of engineering, design, and philosophy, John’s seeks to understand and advise clients on where their technology works best, for whom, and in what context. Each year, John examines the insides of hundreds of companies, their products, and ecosystems. He delivers vendor analysis by building the framework from which to deliver the critique. He is constantly connecting and making visible the front end of change. He can help you see the path of evolution and the risks on the journey. The HRExaminer is Sumser’s vehicle for understanding and explaining the inner workings of the industry. With three weekly podcasts, and written commentary, he covers emerging ideas, the state of the industry, and the executives who operate it.

Visit Authors Website