That’s a nice assortment of pre-SHRM mail.

As someone who has been blessed to attend multiple of these annual extravaganzas of everything HR, I have gotten used to some of the mailings and the content they contain. Some vendors appear to use the same thing each year. For example, I can count on TalentSmart to have their shiny mailing envelope containing a mini flyer advertising the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0. It’s 50% off at their booth this year.

Each year also brings mail from institutions of higher education touting their Masters programs, law school, or even industry certifications like CEBS.  A new one for my noticing this year was from Houston Baptist University with their on-line Masters in Human Resource Management program.

One element that I have noticed before was a couple of exhibitors touting student loan debt management. I know this is a growing area of benefits that companies are exploring (adding to existing tuition reimbursement programs) as many of the new hires coming into companies have large amounts of debt. This, of course, could be another arrow in the quiver of talent acquisition in a challenging recruitment environment.

In this age of electronic communication and mass e-mails, some may think that sending a conference tease or booth invitation by “snail mail” may not be effective. I would argue differently. As our e-mail becomes overwhelmed with junk, spam, and other distractions, these pieces (when well designed) can prompt a look at something that an attendee hasn’t considered before. For me, this will be electronic document management. While we have one in place, I am hoping to see some upgraded capabilities. The folks at ColumbiaSoft will be first on my list as I peruse the exhibition for potential solutions. Why is that? Because their direct mail reached my office and caught my attention. While I LOVE e-mail, don’t discount the old fashioned method of marketing either.

Who is someone who greatly influenced you in your early career?

As I think back to my first “real job” after college, it takes me back to Cincinnati and my time working as a theme park consultant with International Theme Park Service (ITPS). When I was hired in September of 1995, I was fresh out of college with work experience that consisted of being at a theme park (Kings Island) mostly working with people my own age and behaving as one would expect young twenty somethings to do!

Enter Mrs. Jackie Renner!

Jackie was the VP of Administration for International Theme Park Services. I credit her for teaching me what being a professional looked like. I learned much from Jackie including the right way to communicate with people from around the world and other cultures, how to be complete in my preparation for client presentations, and how to be a loyal employee to my organization.

As my tenure at the organization increased, I found myself working more closely with Jackie on new business development. Her ability to judge people and know them quickly was something I admired.  When I did not understand the reason behind a process we followed, she was able to explain the why behind it and how the process made the business better. This is a lesson that I’ve never forgotten; always be able to explain your actions and how they can impact your business.

It’s really been over the last few years that the lessons I learned from Jackie have become even more important. My opportunities to interact with and show the next generation what professionalism means have increased. Each time I am complimented on how I handled something professionally or ensured some detail was taken care of, I think of Jackie and say a silent ‘thank you’ to her.

Now, I can say it aloud; thank you Jackie for showing me what being a professional should look like. It is something for which I am very grateful!