Instructions

1. Interview.  Interview an individual currently working in a human resource management capacity.  The candidate could be from your own organization or an organization from any sector (i.e., government, education, religious, non-profit, for profit) that you are familiar with, or you could contact an HR professional affiliated with a local chapter of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management).  To identify a local SHRM chapter in your area, go to the following SHRM web site:

http://www.shrm.org/Communities/SHRMChapters/Pages/default.aspx

1. The interview may be conducted in person, via Skype, or by phone.  Ask the following questions (using the associated headings in your report paper):
   1. Interview Candidate: Identify the candidate, the organization, as well as the role and HR responsibilities of the interview candidate.  Also include how you came to identify and select this person for your interview, and the means with which your interview was conducted (i.e., in person, via Skype, or by phone).
   2. Group Type for Organizing HR: Identify which of the four types of groups for organizing HR (i.e., transactional HR group, corporate HR group, embedded HR group, or centers of expertise), the organization is using.
   3. Outsourcing of HR Functions: Are any of the HR functions outsourced?  If so, which ones?  If not, why?
   4. Trends Shaping the HRM Function: What trends are shaping the HRM function for this individual (e.g., globalization, technology, demographics, competition, skills of employees, economy)?  How so?
   5. Technological Application Support: What technological applications are used to +—support the HR function?  (See Table 1-2 on page 18 for possible examples.)
   6. Keeping Current in HRM: How does the individual keep current with issues affecting HRM from within the organization (internally) and external to the organization, including new legislation?
   7. Attention-Getting HRM Function: What human resource management function has required the most attention by the individual over the past six months (i.e., strategic management; workforce planning and employment; human resource development; compensation and benefits; employee and labor relations; or occupational health, safety, and security?
   8. Advice for Up-and-Coming HR Professionals: What recommendations does this individual have for someone interested in entering the field of human resource management?
2. Your paper should be written as a PROFESSIONAL REPORT WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION.  There should be a minimum of one paragraph for each question, with an APA heading for each of the questions, as identified in bold above.  Do not include the questions.  The individual paper is to be written in APA 6e style with proper mechanics (i.e., sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and spelling).  A title page and reference page are required, in addition to the paper length of 550-650 words.
3. Before submitting the assignment, thoroughly edit the paper for APA formatting and mechanics.  Be sure all requirements have been met.