Posts Tagged ‘Compassionate HR’

Mike Astringer: Next on Compassionate HR, blogtalkradio

As the host of Compassionate HR, I am delighted to find generous guests who give back to their community.  Mike Astringer is a giver.  He’s launching a new pod cast that will offer job seekers excellent career advice.  I plan to interview him on November 1.  As a recruiter, he has a background rich in experience, and skills.  We will learn about what makes him tick, what charities he supports, and what drives his passion for life, and our industry.  Here’s Mike’s bio.  I hope you’ll join us.

Mike Astringer is a Recruitment and Human Capital Strategy Consultant with 17 years of experience serving clients across the U. S. Mike’s expertise is the development of human capital strategies, processes and operations. Mike specifically focuses on providing strategic human capital consulting services to rapidly growing start-up, near start-up, and mid-market firms.

In 2005 Mike founded Human Capital Consultants, Inc. (www.humancapitalconsultants.com). Human Capital Consultants is a professional services consulting organization serving entrepreneurial, near start-up, and mid-market organizations across the United States. Human Capital Consultants offers proven, customizable and metrics driven solutions for our clients’ Recruitment, Human Capital Management, and Human Resources Consulting needs. Previously Mike was Founder and CEO of Las Vegas based Information Technology Associates, a leading provider of staff augmentation and contingency recruitment services.

Mike is the co-host (with Don Charlton, founder of www.theresumator.com) of a weekly Podcast “Hireku” (www.hireku.com). Hireku is a series of Podcasts for entrepreneurs facing recruitment and human resources challenges while growing their companies. In November 2010 Mike will launch the “Career Radio Podcast” (www.careerradiopodcast.com) which will share strategies for job seekers and professionals growing their careers. Also in November Mike will launch his blog site www.mikeastringer.com where he will discuss recruitment, human resources, job seeking, and entrepreneurial issues.

Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeAstringer and Human Capital Consultants on Twitter @HCCRecruits.

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Forgiveness is not just a word. It’s a spiritual axiom. When we forgive we are free of past hurts & pain. When we humble ourselves ask those we’ve harmed to forgive us, we give them a chance to be free. The rub is this: when we ask for forgiveness, are we entirely ready to surrender the behaviors that alienate, and cause harm? That is often a different story, isn’t it?

Asking for forgiveness with no willingness to change is an empty promise. It’s like holding your hand under a waterfall, the water rushes through your finger tips. The gushing water trickles through your fingers, yet nothing holds that water, it simply passes through. When we humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness, it is incumbent upon us to change the offending behavior, otherwise that empty request can feel like salt in that person’s wound.

Why am I thinking about forgiveness, forgiving, and being forgiven? Tis the season. I am a Jew. This is Yom Kippur, and between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, it is important that I reflect on my core values, my deeds, and transgressions in the past year. You see, we believe that if we don’t earnestly try to right every wrong we knowingly committed, we won’t be sealed in “The Book Of Life,” for another year of health, happiness, and prosperity. And to that end, it all boils down to forgiveness. Yom Kippur means different things to different people. For me, it is a time I take an annual inventory, it is a time of solemn reflection, and serious consideration of my life, and what I have become. I always ask myself each year: “Did I learn from my mistakes?,” Or “Am I still making the same mistakes repeatedly?” Where do I get stuck repeatedly? That is the space I honestly pray about, and ask G-d to show me how to change, grow, and become the woman “Spirit” wants me to be.

I hate it when I don’t learn life’s lessons. This year, I can think of several instances in my professional life where I said things I later regretted. What I learned about myself is that I didn’t learn one lesson, and it came back more painfully a second time. When I don’t learn, the pain is in me, and it hurts me far more than it probably does the person I offended because I am so hard on myself. I hate it when I realized something I said caused harm. What I learned this year is that I can be a bit reactionary. But self-knowledge is nothing if it isn’t followed by a steadfast desire, and willingness to think long and hard before I speak, and write. The two instances I am speaking of happened here on my blog, and consequently in the comments sections of other people’s blogs.

Mercy. My world becomes so small when I allow myself to be driven by my ego, or a need to self-defend. My true friends love me, and know my heart. My adversaries could care less. What I am going to work on this year is to practice restraint of tongue and pen. I promise to never write when I’m angry.  We are adults here in cyberspace. It’s time I commit to be the adult, and not allow myself to be tempted into childish behavior on my blog, other people’s blogs (blogtalkradio included).  Sometimes, it’s better to let someone else be the child, and be the adult, and not react in kind.

This year, I aspire to be a mensch. A mensch is a gentle person, and someone who knows what the right thing to do is, and does it. This year I will allow cooler heads to prevail. This year I will act my age, not my shoe size. This year, I will reach out in kindness, and do my best to not lash out in anger. I can’t say I can ever remember being truly happy about something I said in anger, not for long anyway. Perfection may not be realistic, but behaving badly is a choice. I want to be better, not bitter.

I am making this pledge publicly on my blog. Let it be my reminder to be the woman I am, the goodness within.

Thanks for reading my spiritual affirmation, and reflection.

Margo Rose, Founder and CEO of HireFriday 2.0

G’mar chatima tova: May you be sealed in The Book Of Life, for a year of love, healing, well being and propsperity.

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HireFriday: One Tribe-One Community Supporting & Helping One Another

That’s right, Monday, August 30th marks the first ever HireFriday show on Compassionate HR (my blogtalkradio show.) It brings me great pride to bring you the HireFriday Community members that make our space such a special place to be. In addition, The HireFriday All-Stars Show brings its with the best career development professionals in the business. People like Chandlee Bryan, author of The Twitter Job Search Guide will be one of our all-star panelists. I am hoping to convince Julie Walraven, Karen Siwak, Janice Worthington and other great resume writers to appear. Shally from Arbita will make an appearance. He’s the God Father of Candidate Sourcing. He is pointed to as the man who made internet research for candidate sourcing a valid, and respectable career.

I’ve invited the entire job search community to participate in tomorrow’s show. It will be fun to see who shows up. One never knows what will happen on blogtalkradio, and that’s part of the excitement. I’ve invited the best and brightest career coaches to call in our show. It will be a HireFriday job search free for all. We will stray from the Compassionate HR interview format in order to accommodate as many callers who want to speak

All the phone lines will be open, so anyone wants to call in to make a job search comment, ask a question about how to cope with unemployment, deal with limited resources, you are all welcome to pipe in–this show will provide useful ideas and tools for the taking. You will get so much free advice you’ll want to down load the episode free on I-Tunes so that you may listen to it again, and again. My hope is people will have a safe place to ask questions and discuss the ups and downs of the job search process. Unemployment is hard. HireFriday can help.

I kid around about being a fierce candidate advocate, and opened up the twitter profile for my alter-ego “GangstaHR.” She’s a kick-ass, take no prisoners, boots on the ground problem solver and candidate advocates. She vigorously debates people who pick on job seekers, and sometimes offends. Like me, my other persona has a heart of gold. GangstaHR gives me a chance to freely express my first amendment rights as an opinionated big-mouth who is fearless when it comes to defending job seekers, and their rights.

HRMargo, however is far more interested in providing useful information, job search strategy, and boot camp workshops to teach unemployed people how to find work using online resources. HireFriday and Compassionate HR are not just careers of mine, they are a way of life, and my way of serving my community. It’s my passion to be a candidate advocate. I care deeply about the plight of unemployed people. I will one day start a not for profit organization to serve guide women coming out of battered Women’s Shelters how to re-enter the workforce. I will serve disadvantaged populations, and teach them job readiness skills so that they too can re-join the workforce. While this is in the future, this is my ultimate vision.

In the meantime, I will offer job search strategy coaching, workshops, e-books, and useful tools to accelerate your re-mployment. Please tune in Monday evening. I secured a toll free number for job seekers 877-230-4601. Our listener call in line is 347-426-3215. You may also listen to the HireFriday All Stars show by pointing your browser to http://blogtalkradio.com/comphr. Thank you friends.

Your theme song today is by the Black Eyed Peas: One Tribe because The HireFriday Community I started back in February is truly one tribe y’all.

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I am proud to be on the board of directors of HeartPrints. The mission of this organization is in sync with my personal values, and community vision. I want my readers to know about my passion piece: being the social media board consultant to this worthy organization. Please read this release, go to our website, and purchase our delicious coffee (for a cause). You’ll be helping others while you enjoy an amazing cup of joe. I love this organization. I hope you will too!

www.heartprints.org
hello@heartprints.org

heartprints inc. is a community driven | positive impact 501(c)(3) approved non-profit organization that improves the lives of youth, families, and our communities through the focus areas of Mentoring | Jobs | Outreach to help people live a successful life.

We partner with schools, shelters, and other organizations to provide mentoring/tutoring where it does not exist to improve education, leadership, career, economics, decision making, and opportunities.

Our Jobs (CincyJobSpace) project connects people to job leads, guidance, resources for re-employment, and general career related opportunities. The Outreach piece consists of connecting our mentoring and jobs efforts to the materials, supplies, and other items to assist with basic needs so people can “go beyond the basics” to live a life of significance.

The approach of utilize these three areas we seek to close the gaps on in the community interact to deliver positive impact for our clients, as well as Volunteer and Donor opportunities. We have also implemented some unique products to engage support, and drive awareness through our “Coffee With A Cause!” (Charity Coffee), as well as heartprints help guide.

You may support us, and well as participate in efforts to improve lives by:
• Volunteering as a Mentor/Tutor
• Donating Supplies from our “Wish List”
• Providing a monetary gift (tax deductible)
• Purchasing our “Coffee With A Cause!” (Charity Coffee)
• Sharing job opportunities through our CincyJobSpace brand
• Being an advocate by sharing our opportunities and joining our social media groups
• Engage with our initiatives by listing your efforts or non-profit in our heartprints help guide

We invite you to get involved by volunteering and or donating today, encourage you to visit www.heartprints.org, or by give us a hello@heartprints.org

With gratitude,
heartprints inc.
www.heartprints.org
participate@heartprints.org

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Compassion = Action

Compassion is action
With an open heart
It leads us to the softest part…of our soul…where we are whole

Compassion is best
When it’s put to the test…it soars heads above the rest…where we sing…where we dine
Where we rally all the time

Compassion is the reason
We volunteer this season…to mobilize our friends…so that they will comprehend
Our mission…our vision…to execute our position…to move the world forward
So that we will move toward…our dream
It’s not a scheme
Rather, it bears fruition
And it is nutrition….

For our spirit, and our soul, to be whole, and complete in Compassion…it is our action…Let our world become small…so that we may touch one, and all…a perfect healing…there is no ceiling…when we enter the realm of Compassion.

By Margo Rose (inspired by Nate St. Pierre & Joni Thomas Doolin–It Starts With Us).

And now, I selected a very special theme song for my poem: Sailing by Christopher Cross

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