The annual Personnel Today “HR Director of the Year” award (sponsored by ResourceBank) is now open for entries. What makes an outstanding HR Director and what are the judges of this award looking for? Should you consider entering? Or, if you shy away from the limelight, should you use the criteria shown below to assess your own performance?
The official line from the Personnel Judging panel is this. The HR Director of the Year award is for an individual who can demonstrate outstanding leadership. Entries should explain the contribution the HR director has made both to their own team and to the organisation as a whole. Candidates must demonstrate that they have developed an effective HR team and present evidence of their contribution to the business.
It is that word “evidence” that many HR Directors struggle with. Lisa Wormald, Director of Executive Search for ResourceBank, has over 19 years’ experience in recruiting for HR Director positions;
“When I am reviewing CVs of candidates for HR Director positions, often there is a lack of clear evidence of what has been achieved and importantly how the candidate delivered this. Candidates tend to concentrate on one or the other, but you need to present a clear picture on what your previous challenges were, what you personally did to overcome these and what the tangible results for your business was. It’s this “situation – action – outcome” trilogy that HR Directors need to be able to present clearly for potential employers to get excited with.”
The Personnel Today judging panel confirm that they also look for evidence of how an HR Director has personally contributed to the wider success of the business. Lisa continues :
“Outstanding HR Directors do not just focus on their HR department but see a key aspect of their role is to improve the wider performance of their business. I have seen research indicating that while 50% of CEOs have a background in Finance, only 5% are from HR. This is a shocking statistic given that talented HR Directors have all the qualities needed to be a successful CEO. Good HR Directors have great communication skills, empathy, integrity, business acumen and leadership skills, and they should have the opportunity to go that one step further to the CEO position.”
The other factors that the Personnel Today awards look at are innovation, teamwork, leadership and use of resources, all key areas that outstanding HR Directors will harness effectively to help drive their businesses forward.
So, do you (or does your HR Director) demonstrate these factors and play an important role in the success of your business? The deadline for entries has been extended to 21st June so still time to enter at www.personneltodayawards.com.
Contact us
For more information on the HR Director of the Year award, and to discuss career opportunities for HR Directors, contact:
Lisa Wormald
Director of Executive Search
07982 587597
info@resourcebank.co.uk
