NEW HUMAN RESOURCES ADMINISTRATOR JOINS GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT 2
Total Views: 29 17-year veteran of labor and employee relations named vice chancellor July 19, 2012 (El Cajon) — Victoria Simmons, a consultant and community college administrator specializing in labor relations and human resources for 17 years, is the new vice chancellor of human resources for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. Simmons, who was hired after a nationwide search, began working at the college district July 1. She has experience in labor and employee relations, recruitment, equal employment opportunity compliance, staff development and training, classification, compensation, workers’ compensation and other human resources issues. “I am pleased we were able to attract a person of Victoria Simmons’ depth of knowledge, commitment and energy at a time when serious budget constraints and increasingly complex labor issues demand excellent management,” Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said. “Her approach is building cooperative relationships through effective communication and active listening. Her combination of skills and experience are an asset to the community, our district, and our employees.” Since 2007, Simmons’ human resources consulting business, VLS Consulting, worked in conjunction with the Center for Collaborative Solutions, a non-profit organization based in Sacramento, providing training, contract facilitation and mediation services for eight community college districts, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and nine other school districts, coalitions, and associations. She has worked extensively with faculty and classified unions in California community colleges in contract negotiations. Simmons previously served as director of human resources for Allan Hancock Joint Community College District in northern Santa Barbara County; interim associate vice president, human resources and training, for the Ohlone Community College District in Fremont; and interim assistant superintendent/vice president, human resources, for the Sierra Joint Community College District in Northern California. Prior to her community college experience, Simmons worked for the University of California, Davis campus and medical center where she handled labor relations matters, including negotiations, mediation, arbitrations and administrative hearings. Simmons has a degree from the King Hall School of Law at the University of California, Davis, where she studied labor law, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Long Beach. With a great uncle who was a Teamsters organizer, an aunt who was a union steward and chief negotiator for the California Teachers Association, and a grandfather active as a union steward for three decades, it could be said that collective bargaining is in Simmons’ DNA. “I had a keen interest in labor law during law school,” she said. “My labor law professor encouraged me to apply for a law clerk position with the California state department responsible for negotiating state contracts and I continued to work for public institutions that are represented by unions.” Simmons decided to return to the community college fold after several years as an independent contractor because she missed the full complement of work heading a human resources department. She was “intrigued” by the Grossmont-Cuyamaca district’s job description of working in a collaborative, respectful culture. Simmons said she is a firm believer in interest-based negotiation – more of a win-win tactic to bargaining than the zero-sum approach sometimes associated with labor negotiations. “The steps include understanding perspective, that everyone comes to the table with both history and a story,” she said. “We need to look at what has and hasn’t worked and, and acknowledge the key stakeholders and their interests. The next steps involve brainstorming options to meet identified interests, and crafting a mutually satisfactory solution. Key to these discussions is focusing on the problem, not personalities, and interests versus positions. Ultimately, this perspective helps negotiators address needs in a mutually satisfactory manner.” Less than two weeks at her new job, Simmons was already in the process of developing the framework for an extensive human resources plan, a district accreditation requirement. “Everyone I have met has been welcoming and helpful,” she said. “A common theme from my interviews was how much the district cares about its employees and what great a place GCCCD is because of the people. I have found this to be true from the first few minutes on the job and as I continue to meet people.” Simmons lives near Petco Park in the East Village. She is married to Paul Richman and they have “wickedly smart” border collie. Passionate travelers, the couple has visited 19 countries and last year, retraced Simmons’ grandfather’s landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy. Printer-friendly version
2 viewsYOU CAN LAND THE JOB OF YOUR DREAMS 4
Total Views: 30 By Ginny Grimsley Insider Secrets From A Human Resources Veteran October 27, 2011 (San Diego) — You may have aced Intermediate Accounting, but you didn’t count on getting lost on the way to your first big job interview. So you arrived late and flustered, chugged a restorative cup of coffee in the reception area, and then offered your interviewer a sweaty handshake. Those simple mistakes may have cost you the job, according to Patricia D. Sadar, a 20-year veteran of Human Resources Management and author of Congratulations…You Aced the Interview and Congratulations…You’re Hired (www.congratsbooks.com) for recent college graduates. “Students and parents alike spend their valuable time and hard-earned money to get into the right school and earn their college degree,” said Sadar, an adjunct professor at Florida International University. “It seems as though they forget the big picture – landing the job.” That’s an even greater challenge in today’s market, which can be especially hard to crack for young workers. Sixty percent of recent college graduates do not have full-time jobs in their fields of study, according to a spring CNN Money report citing the job-placement firm Adecco Group. Sadar’s CliffNotes-style books answer burning questions, break through myths, and point students towards the career fast lane! All books are written to be read in an hour and put to use today! Each book offers a checklist of strategies and a road map to travel the simplest, fastest, and most direct route for students to land the job of their dreams. Some tips include: Tailor your resumé to the job: Recruiters often simply scan resumés, so be sure the experience and skills being sought are easy to spot, and the same information is repeated in your cover letter. Include a professional summary, competencies, strengths and accomplishments all focused on the position for which you’re applying. Prepare for the interview – what you do before, during and after counts: Know how to get there and allow extra time so you don’t arrive late. Don’t use strong cologne or tobacco products, and don’t drink coffee beforehand, all of which can be smelly turn-offs. Do pop a breath mint – not chewing gum, which has no place in an interview. If your palms are sweaty, wipe your hand discreetly before giving a firm handshake. Follow up with a thank-you note to the interviewer within 24 hours. Be truthful when asked about weaknesses: People often avoid these questions or answer by presenting what they consider to be a strength as a weakness, such as “I’m a workaholic” or “I’m a perfectionist.” The interviewer wants to know if you can recognize your weaknesses and how you’re working on them, or whether you can admit mistakes and learn from them. Be prepared to honestly discuss one weakness and one past mistake. Ask questions, but not about salary, benefits, sick or vacation time: Go prepared to ask three to five questions about the company, the department or the position. You might ask the interviewer to describe the ideal candidate for the job, what he or she most enjoys about working for the company, or what the company’s biggest challenges will be in the coming year. Remember, mealtime interviews are not about the food: Order a conservatively priced meal that doesn’t have a strong smell and that you can eat without making a mess. Don’t order an alcoholic beverage, even if your interviewer does, and mind your table manners. Be courteous to everyone you meet, from the parking lot to the restroom: Don’t underestimate the importance of parking attendants, receptionists and security guards, who often have influence with decision-makers. The person in the elevator or at the lavatory could be the CEO or a potential future boss. Patricia D. Sadar is CEO of People2Strategy, a strategic Human Resources consulting firm; an adjunct professor at Florida International; faculty member at University of Phoenix; speaker, career coach, and author. A graduate of Nova Southeastern University, she holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration. Printer-friendly version
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