Shine Bright Like a Diamond

Not Neil, You!

Dec 14, 2023

Some friends from my HRIS circle and I have started a Discord channel to help support HR Tech professionals in their work. You can register here. We’ve also put together some instructions here.

We want to create volunteer positions to help with moderation, welcome new members, plan events, and overall engagement. If you are interested in helping out, please email me at timwhitley@hrtechwizard.com.

Self-Promotion Myths

HR Tech professionals are terrible at promoting themselves.

We are in our role because we love to serve and don’t mind working backstage while others take the spotlight.

However, that background service shouldn’t limit us from shining a light on our accomplishments.

Here are some of the myths I believed about self-promotion and growth:

“My work will speak for itself.”
“Talking about yourself is prideful or bragging.”
“My opportunity will come. I have to wait.”

Here is the truth:

Many HR leaders don’t understand what HRIS folks do. It’s up to you to show them how your work benefits the organization.
Be kind to yourself and your leaders – lay out for them what you have accomplished and the impact it has shown. Unmet, unvoiced expectations are unfair to you and your leaders.
Asking for something you have earned is not entitlement.

My Story

At a previous job, our HR projects sucked. They were disorganized, inconsistent, and never-ending.

After attending a project management fundamentals class and doing lots of research, I realized there was a better way through centralized project management.

I put together an executive summary with visuals and a plan of action, asked my CHRO for lunch, and presented it to him.

The result – a promotion for me to HRIS Project Manager and centralized project management processes for our department.

It was a huge win that would have never happened if I hadn’t taken the calculated risk to have that conversation.

Highlighting Your Impact

Confidence comes from celebrating your accomplishments. Start a “Job Well Done Journal” you can complete throughout the year. This creates an opportunity to track your wins as they are happening. You can find the link to this template here1.

The value of a tool like this is that it challenges you to think through the impact of your work. Remember, the value of your work comes from moving the organization forward.

Here are items to capture in your journal:

· Streamlined processes

· Improved employee experiences

· Saved costs

· Enhanced system capabilities

· Increased data insights

Furthering Your Impact

Once you understand the value of your work, the next step is communicating it. This is the hard part and will require some courage. This could be a write-up in your performance review or a one-on-one discussion with your boss or company leaders.

There are steps you can take to build your case:

You can use your journal to highlight outcomes.
Could you tell your story with data? Not everything will be quantifiable, but if it is, include that in your narrative.
Gather feedback and recommendations from your peers, customers, or other leaders you have supported.
Articulate your vision for the future of HRIS in your organization. Describe how you plan to add value and drive innovation. Below is a screenshot from a presentation that my friend, Fran Frias, put together for his leadership. You can find the full presentation on our Discord under the #templates-and-guides channel.
Share outside your organization. Celebrate your accomplishments on social media or networking groups. Your career is more than your current company. Use these accomplishments to build future opportunities for yourself and teach others.

Final Thoughts

In her article on self-promotion, Jenny Fernandez states, “To advance in your career, you need to make the case for your promotion — even and especially when it’s uncomfortable…Own your story and craft a compelling vision of your future self — one that positions you as a change agent able to accomplish your goals in a new role and inspire others along the way2.”

Whether you are seeking a promotion, a pay increase, or new responsibilities, success starts with you. Celebrate your achievements, articulate them confidently, and let the world see your value.

I’d love to hear your stories about promoting yourself in your work. Leave me a comment below!

Additional Resources

Looking to move into a leadership position - https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2023/12/06/5-ways-to-show-leadership-skills-at-the-year-end-performance-review/?sh=413ceff70338

Tips for self-promotion at work - https://insightglobal.com/blog/self-promotion-at-work-tips/

Interesting Stories from the Week

Growth of System Integration Services Market
As our HR Tech stacks have become more complex, we are seeing a rise in system integration platforms like Dell’s Boomi. According to this article, the industry is now worth $472.7 billion and is expected to reach $1.006. billion by 2032 (A 9.9% growth rate). It will be interesting to see what effect AI has on these systems. Do they become more integrated or less so? I have always pictured “one AI to rule them all” that you interact with, which interacts with back-end data and systems on your behalf. Read the full article here.
There Are 4 Different Interview Personalities. Which One Is Yours?
Are you a Charmer? A Challenger? An Examiner? A Harmonizer? Check out this article on the different types of job interviewee personalities and strategies to succeed in job interviews based on your style. I fall somewhere between Examiner and Harmonizer. See the article here.
Five Requirements For Creating A Modern Intranet For Your Organization
Whether you are involved in maintaining your company’s intranet, there is valuable information here on how to communicate with our employees. Tech groups are notorious for poor communication, and this article provides practical tips for making our communications platforms welcoming and usable. Read the full article here.

HR Tech Career Opportunities

Disclaimer: Unless otherwise specified, I can’t speak to the quality of the job or the company. I am displaying jobs I have found online that seem to have broad appeal regarding job requirements and work location. If you have an HR tech job you would like me to highlight, please email it to me.