The New Human Capital Management Executive: Evolving with the Times

Chief Human Resource Officer | Chief People Officer | Chief Talent Officer | Chief Employee Experience Officer

The role of the executive in any Human Capital Management capacity continues to evolve rapidly and, to keep up with the times, today’s HCM executive must be a business partner who stays ahead of the shifting curve in unmarked territory.

With the talent paradigm shifting, human capital and culture is now estimated to comprise an average 52% of a company’s market value. With this new era of disruption, today’s Chief Human Resources Officers are accountable for a variety of tasks and initiatives, with culture creation rapidly emerging as a critical area of focus.

As the role of human capital management (HCM) executive continues to morph, it’s important that your branding strategy evolves with it and your entire portfolio of career marketing documents (executive resume, cover letter, professional biography, LinkedIn profile) communicate your value proposition clearly and effectively for the new world of work.

Anchor Your Career Marketing Documents in Value

With the focus of human resource steering awary from processes to people and more emphasis on corporate purpose, today’s CHRO is an integral part of a core group of senior leaders, including CEOs and CFOs. As such, the content of your career marketing documents need to be firmly rooted in how your executive experience, business acumen, corporate decision making, and success stories have added value.

• Determine what sets you apart from other similarly qualified candidates by drilling down to how your leadership has been integral to overcoming uncertainty due to a global pandemic, volatile market conditions, expansion efforts, social issues, recruitment, retention & motivation, leadership development, and/or corporate culture.

The goal is to connect the dots between your next employer’s needs and the critical contributions you’ve delivered in past roles by framing your success stories using context that provide a snapshot of the challenges faced, actions taken, and outcomes delivered via an active voice.

Showcase the Shift from Processes to People

In order to meet the changing HR landscape, modern human capital management executives go beyond simply handling traditional responsibilities such as HR planning, payroll processing, benefits and compensation administration, training / performance appraisal, and compliance to driving engagement, increasing productivity, diagnosing problems and prescribing actions that help build dynamic work cultures and positive employee experiences.

Today’s Human Capital Management Executives have shifted their focus from processing paperwork to helping shape the sweet spot between people and the corporate brand, bringing to light trends that impact the future of business, workforce needs and working environments.

The emergence of COVID triggered a plethora of unique challenges and business shifts, forcing senior leadership to roll up their sleeves to innovate solutions, link arms in collaboration, and create a path forward to keep the workforce connected and quell employee concerns.

• Beyond the dollars and cents of business, how did you forge new operating models? Advance DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts? Actively maintain engagement with employees? Support transparency? Address mental health issues or layoff rumors?
• Remember, each component of your career portfolio is a personal marketing document that provides you with the opportunity to reinforce what makes you valuable to your next employer and that includes balancing hard skills with soft skills within an engaging narrative.

For your CHRO resume to resonate with a hiring authority or executive recruiter, you need to include specific examples of these types of challenges, the actions you took, and the results you delivered so your next employer can see your value in action —your ability to produce results in the face of unique challenges and business shifts.

Have a Strategy to Sync Your Value Message Across Your Portfolio

The fastest way to sink your chances of stepping into a vibrant human capital management role is to stray from your core value message. Therefore, it is imperative each document within your portfolio (executive resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, professional biography, personal website) supports your central value message and that you have consistency across touch points.

• Create a blueprint of your career, including employer names + titles held.
  Map out your major accomplishments for each role.
• Each document promotes your candidacy + value offer in a slightly different manner by clearly and concisely articulating why someone should choose you over another candidate.
• Every success story, value-rich statement should prove your ROI —highlighting how you can dissolve barriers, meet corporate objectives, and affect change.

The challenges HR professionals have navigated the past two years have been complex and have inspired a new operating path with the value of human capital at the forefront.

To position yourself as a resourceful business partner capable of breaking down silos and leading through disruption, it is vital you dig deep to unearth your value and then strengthen your candidacy by crafting value-driven branding statements that clearly and concisely communicate your ability to deliver a return on their investment while maintaining focus on delivering a brand-centric message throughout all written, social media, and online communications.