Human Resources Interview and Strategic Alignment

Portfolio Project #2 will be a "mirror image" of Portfolio Project #1. You will select and interview a human resources (HR) professional in a leadership position within his/her company.

The individual you select must be in a generalist leadership position (Manager, Director or VP). Please note: selecting a specialist (Training Manager or Benefits Specialist) will limit your ability to gain a clear understanding of the HR department as a whole. (With your instructor's approval, you may use a specialist.)

You will conduct a one-on-one interview to secure the information needed to write a paper analyzing and evaluating the "strategic alignment" of the HR department to the organization's vision, mission and goals.

Unlike in Portfolio Project #1, you will not create a strategic plan. You will secure the needed information through your one-on-one interview.

Milestone Deliverables

Portfolio Milestone: Interviewee Selection and Question Preparation

Submit the name and a brief biography of the individual you are going to interview to your instructor for approval. Also include a minimum of 15 questions you will ask in your interview to your instructor for review/approval. The questions need to be able to elicit answers from the HR professional that will ultimately uncover the current alignment of the HR department with the organizational goals,

Although you will not earn points in Week 2 for this deliverable, it is a required component of the Portfolio Project, and you will lose points on your final project grade if you fail to submit this assignment as required by the end of Week 2. See the Portfolio Project grading rubric on the Course Information page for details.

Portfolio Milestone: Interview

Using the 15 questions you developed in prior modules, conduct your interview with your selected HR professional. Submit the questions and answers to your instructor for review. Make sure you gained all of the information you will need to complete your final analysis and evaluation paper.

Portfolio Milestone: Purpose Statement

Most of us are aware of the term "purpose statement" but are unsure of its real meaning within an organization. It is a statement describing the organization's purpose, or the reason for its existence. The purpose of an organization reflects a desired position in the marketplace. It should accurately answer to the questions below. The purpose statement is the written summary of those answers.

Who are we?

What do we do?

For whom do we do this?

How do we know when we are getting it done?

The purpose statement is the written summary of those answers. The most effective purpose statements are short, concise, and direct. A good purpose statement is between 2-3 sentences.

Review the purpose statement given to you by the interviewee and analyze the strength of the statement based on your findings from the interview. Submit your analysis to your instructor for review. Recommended length of analysis is 250-300 words.

For all Portfolio Milestone assignments: Although you will not earn points the weeks you submit these deliverables, they are required components of the Portfolio Project and you will lose points on your final project grade if you fail to submit these assignments as required by the end of the weeks they are due. See the Portfolio Project grading rubric on the Course Information page for details.

Final Deliverable

Required Topics - Be sure to cover the following:

Strategic Contribution,
Personal Credibility,
HR Delivery Metrics,
Key Performance Measurements (KPM),
Action Plan for each functional area,
HR mission statement,
HR vision statement and objectives.
Your analysis and evaluation paper should include:

Title Page
Executive Summary
Analysis and evaluation of alignment
Conclusion
Reference Page
Appendix (optional)
Submission requirements:

Ten pages minimum (not including the title page, table of contents, reference page or appendix) will be needed to complete the project.

Support your analysis and recommendations with 5 credible sources documented in accordance to APA format.

Portfolio Milestone: Interviewee Selection and Question Preparation

Submit the name and a brief biography of the individual you are going to interview to your instructor for approval. Also include a minimum of 15 questions you will ask in your interview to your instructor for review/approval. The questions need to be able to elicit answers from the HR professional that will ultimately uncover the current alignment of the HR department with the organizational goals.

Human Recourses Department (HR) is an important strategic partner to organization's success. A friend of mine Mario works as a specialist at HR department at City Hall of El Paso, TX. He has been with the company since the beginning of this year. His duties include collecting, organizing, and putting the data of employees who called in sick, took a vacation, or missed work. The company strategy is "To provide clear directions to staff on what activities, initiatives, and results need to be accomplished to deliver the necessary services to the community" (Strategic Plan, 2015).

The following questions would be asked on the interview regardless the current alignment of the HR department with the organizational goals:

1. What are the organization's vision, mission, and goals?

2. How this strategy affects HR department?

3. The role of HR department in your organization?

4. What are the guidelines for hiring?

5. What is the process of hiring?

6. Does your HR department take recommendations from associates outside of your department to consider an individual to hire?

7. How is your company analyzes current supply of labor?

8. How are you company balances the future demand for labor against current supply?

9. How is the budget of HR department aligned with the business budget?

10. How is your top management in the organization works together to align all HR procedures, employees, and practices with the goals of your organization?

11. Do your organization's recruitment and on-boarding process ensure that you are bringing in top talent aligned with your culture and business goals?

12. Do your employee performance management and reward system incentivize your top employees in a way that ensures continued success?

13. How is your HR policies and procedures communicated in a way that matches with the organization's strategy and goals?

14. Does your current HR team have the expertise to create an employee HR experience that promotes the vision, mission, and goals of your organization at all times?

15. How much success of the company depends on HR department functions?

Comments: Questions may slightly change at the time of the interview.