The HR Mentor Melanie Reed

In this episode, I sit down for a conversation with Brent Pollington, the owner of a successful and award-winning recruitment firm in Vancouver, BC, called Express Employment Professionals. With a company track record of placing over 15,000 people with more than a thousand companies, Brent brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to The HR Mentor that will enlighten new grads and seasoned HR professionals alike.
During our conversation, Brent shares what a recruitment company does—and perhaps more importantly, what it does not do. We also discuss how to effectively work with a recruiter to enhance your career prospects. Plus, Brent will share some valuable advice for job seekers about refining their resumes, optimizing their LinkedIn profiles, and much more.
If you’re interested in understanding the true role of recruitment firms in your job search or seeking tips on how to navigate the job market, this conversation will be well worth your time.
 
Helpful Links for this Episode:
Connect with Brent Pollington on LinkedIn
Visit Express Employment Professionals LinkedIn Page
HR Doctors Podcast
Check out the Express Employment Professionals Website
Join The HR Career Cafe on LinkedIn
Join the HR Career Accelerator program and go from Job Seeker to Job Offer! Use the code HRMENTORPOD for a special listener discount!
Sign up for the Newsletter and get monthly motivation and inspiration.
If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:
Apple Podcast
Spotify
Podbean

I am so thrilled to kick off Season 5 with a very special guest. Sheryl Brown and I connected on LinkedIn years ago and have been sharing HR stories, parenting and work memes and inspiring empowering messages ever since. I finally convinced her to join me on The HR Mentor to talk about her career journey and it was truly worth the wait. 
Sheryl's extensive experience in human resources is a testament to her adaptability and expertise across various sectors.  With a career spanning over 15 years, she has honed her skills in both non-profit and for-profit environments, dealing with unionized and non-unionized settings, and has adapted to the unique challenges of service, manufacturing, and mining industries to name a few. Her commitment to continuous learning is evident in her pursuit of an ICF Coaching certification and her plans to further her education with a master's degree. Outside of her professional endeavours, Sheryl finds joy in the simple pleasures of life, cherishing moments with loved ones, exploring culinary arts, and embracing the great outdoors. Her well-rounded lifestyle and dedication to growth in all aspects of life assist her in her role as HR Manager with Hudbay Minerals, Copper Mountain Mine. Sheryl currently holds the following designations: CPHR, SHRM-SCP, CTMP and RPR.    
One of the things I love about Sheryl is her commitment to continuous growth and development. She is an inspiration and a role model for how to stay open to opportunities and to challenge and push yourself to live your best life. 
I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.
 
Helpful Links for this Episode:
Connect with Sheryl on Linkedin 
Read “Fearless Leadership: How to Overcome Behavioral Blindspots and Transform Your Organization” by Loretta Malandro
Join The HR Career Cafe on LinkedIn
Get on the waitlist for The HR Career Accelerator and remember your discount code HRMENTORPOD
Sign up for the HR Mentor Career Newsletter 
If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:
Apple Podcast
Spotify
Podbean
Intro Background Music by Playsound from Pixabay 

Welcome to the Season 4 Finale! 
I decided about two months ago, after several exchanges with soon-to-be graduate students, that I needed to make this episode. If you have been following me since the beginning, you know I created this podcast to scale what I was trying to offer to new HR grads on a one-to-one basis. Of course, that quickly became unstainable, so with the idea of recording my guidance and advice and sharing it for free, I could help more students. 
Well, now that we have 84 episodes on a variety of topics related to HR, well-being and, of course, your HR job search, I decided it might be a good idea to provide you with a curated collection of episodes that will meet you where you are in your job search. This episode summarizes episodes that will help you in three distinct stages of your job search.

When you are just starting and don’t know what to do first.


When you are at the beginning of your search with applications and building your resume.


And when you are in the messy middle of interviews and promoting yourself to employers.

You can find all the episodes I recommend for these three stages and the proper titles of the stages below.
 
Create the Right Mindset:
Episode 2: 3 Steps to Shift Your Limiting Beliefs & Improve Your Job Search
Episode 6: How to Deal with Rejection in Your Job Search - 5 Tips
Episode 17: Overcoming Self-Doubt - 6 Strategies
Episode 21: How Intentions Can Improve Your Life - 8 Step Process
Episode 26: Career Confidence Boosters You Need Now
Episode 45: One Word for Your Wellbeing
Episode 81: How to Manage Graduation Uncertainty and Anxiety
Know Yourself:
Episode 3: How Your Values Impact Your Career and Job Search
Episode 23: Is an HR Career Right for You?
Episode 30: Your Career is  Journey with Donna Hall
Episode 35: Level Up Your Career Alignment
Episode 41: Prepare for Your HR Job Search
Episode 48: Follow Your Passion with Sarah Wade
Episode 52: Why Job Targets Matter and How to Identify Them
Episode 69: Know Your Strengths and Empower Your Career Journey
Episode 75: The Perfect Fit: Why Work Environment Matters
Episode 78: The Power of Looking Back: How Reflection Can Elevate Your Job Search
Episode 83: Find Your Ideal HR Role with Michelle Amaral
Promote Yourself:
Episode 4: Market Yourself for Job Search Success
Episode 5: Be Prepared and Ace the Interview
Episode 8: The Importance of Making Connections
Episode 9: Interview with Deam Lemphers Part 1
Episode 33: Building Successful Relationships
Episode 36: Communicate Your HR Brand
Episode 39: The Art of Reference Checks with Joel Peterson
Episode 49: Nix Your Networking Fears
Episode 51: Preparing for Reference Checks
Episode 52: Speak With Ease - communicating what you offer, elevator pitch
Episode 61: The Art of the Follow Up
Episode 77: Help Them Help You: Securing the Support You Need
Episode 80: LinkedIn Tips for Job Seekers With Joel Peterson
Other Helpful Links for this Episode:
Join The HR Career Cafe on LinkedIn
Get on the waitlist for The HR Career Accelerator and remember your discount code HRMENTORPOD
Sign up for the Newsletter and get the code to purchase my HR Interview Question Guide for $1.00 until the end of January 2024!
If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be very grateful for a review and rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:
Apple Podcast
Spotify
Podbean

This episode has been a long time in the making, and I am so pleased with the result. Michelle was one of my earliest fans who later became my student once the pandemic began to subside. Since our first meeting, I knew she had to be a guest on the show!
I have watched Michelle transition from a student to an HR Generalist over two short years, and her accomplishments during that time have been incredible. She excelled in her studies, won awards, contributed to clubs and landed her first HR role with grace and intention. She is a passionate and dedicated professional who knows how to translate her values and passion into a meaningful career path. 
The best part is that in this episode, she is sharing her success path with you and offers practical ways you can have the same success. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!
If you want to connect with Michelle, you can check out the links below.
Helpful Links for this Episode:
Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn
Join The HR Career Cafe on LinkedIn
Get on the waitlist for The HR Career Accelerator
Join The HR Mentor Fan Club and get instant access to my Courageous Conversations Audio Lesson.
Sign up for the Newsletter to get notified of the HRCA Launch and remember your discount code HRMENTORPOD
If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:
Apple Podcast
Spotify
Podbean
Thank you for listening!

If you are about to graduate from an HR program or you are a recent HR grad who is struggling with finding that first HR role, this episode is going to save you a ton of money and time. That’s right, money and time - something I am sure you value immensely right now. How am I going to do that? Well, I am going to be the friend you didn’t know you needed and I’m going to stop you from signing up for that certification program you are thinking of spending your hard-earned money on. Right now, as a new HR graduate, a fresh new certification is not going to be the silver bullet that gets you that first HR role. 
Listen to find out when a certification is a great idea and what you can do instead to find that perfect first HR role.
Thanks for listening!
Helpful Links for this Episode:
Join The HR Career Cafe on LinkedIn
Get on the waitlist for The HR Career Accelerator
Join The HR Mentor Fan Club and get instant access to my Courageous Conversations Audio Lesson.
Sign up for the Newsletter to get notified of the HRCA Launch and remember your discount code HRMENTORPOD
If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:
Apple Podcast
Spotify
Podbean
And if you are serious about building your HR career and want to support the HR Mentor, consider getting a membership.
The HR Mentor Fan Club is a virtual space where you can access special bonus episodes of the podcast, resources, and free downloads, as well as a chance to access special discounts on future programs. 
If you join today, you will get instant access to my decision-making tool to help you say no to activities that aren’t aligned with your values and goals. 

In this episode, I am talking about something that I don’t see talked about enough: the uncertainty and anxiety that naturally comes with graduating from University or College. While it is a natural and normal experience, the fear and trepidation that comes with graduation can have negative impacts on students and it can impede their ability to move forward. This episode covers four actions or tips soon-to-graduate students can use to help make this exciting transition much more enjoyable. 
There are also links to several resources below, so keep scrolling and check them out.
Thanks for listening!
Here are the four actions you can take to help manage uncertainty:
Start Before You Finish
Double Down on Connections
Access Supports
Coping Strategies and a Self-Care Routine
Helpful Links for this Episode:
Episode 54: The Inside Scoop on Job Boards & Entry-level Recruitment with Steven Rothberg
Breathing Exercise Instructions
Episode 6: How To Deal With Rejection In Your Job Search
Anxiety Canada - lots of resources and information
Join The HR Career Cafe on LinkedIn
Get on the waitlist for The HR Career Accelerator
Join The HR Mentor Fan Club and get instant access to my Courageous Conversations Audio Lesson.
Sign up for the Newsletter to get notified of the HRCA Launch and remember your discount code HRMENTORPOD
Here are helpful links to resources to support your mental health and wellbeing:
If you are in crisis and need to talk to someone, please call the Canada Suicide Prevention Service at 1-833-456-4566 (24/7) or text 45645 (4 pm to 12 am ET).
Public Health Canada - lots of links and resources
Province of BC Mental Health Supports
Canadian Mental Health Association of BC
World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Supports Page
Checkpoint.org Provides a list of Resources in many countriesIf you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:
Apple Podcast
Spotify
Podbean