Are you ready to meet the Oprah of HR? On today’s episode of Impact Makers, Jennifer sits down with the infamous HR wizard, Kris Dunn. He is the founder of two popular blogs The HR Capitalist and Fistful of Talent and is also the CHRO of Kinetix, an Atlanta-based recruiting, RPO and HR consulting firm.
- Where does the story of Kris Dunn start? Kris talks about his rural Missouri roots, the value of his basketball coaching experience, and the general arc of his career that led him to the HR world.
- For Kris, working in HR was where everything finally clicked into place. Jennifer asks Kris about how and why he knew that HR was the place for him. He shares with the audience the importance of mentorship that helped him find his path, and provides some practical advice on how to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.
- At this point in his career, the Monday-to-Friday thoughts of Kris Dunn are read far and wide. But it wasn’t always so: Kris shares what spurred him to enter the world of blogging and what the early days were like before The HR Capitalist and Fistful of Talent started gaining traction.
- As one of the first well-known HR bloggers, Kris is known for his conversation tone, fun references, and an impressive 5-day-a-week schedule. Jennifer asks him how this consistency has played into the success of his blogging and writing endeavors.
- If you can manage to build and maintain a following of readers like Kris has, the potential for meeting new people and finding new opportunities skyrockets. Jennifer and Kris talk about the various relationships – both personal and professional – that have come about through blogging, as well opportunities for career advancement. Kris talks about how his blogging fit into his career at different points in his life.
- Is being an entrepreneur all it’s cracked up to be? Jennifer asks Kris about his feelings around entrepreneurship as someone who might not have founded a company, but had invested his family’s future in an existing business.
- No one starts or becomes a partner in a company just for the hell of it. Kris talks about a couple of the items on his entrepreneurial bucket list that he has been able to cross off while working at Kinetix.
- With all the blogging that Kris has done over the years, it seems like there is a collection of books just waiting to be written. Jennifer asks Kris about the possibility of writing a book in the future, his Boss Leadership Training materials notwithstanding. Jennifer and Kris also talk about their experiences as facilitators of the Boss Leadership Training.
- As an HR, recruiting and training professional, Kris has met all kinds of people in all kinds of fields. He passes on some advice for how to make an impression and build up your career in today’s working world. Here’s one for the road: Keep detailed records of your project work – professional or otherwise – and always be ready to bring it to the table to make a lasting impression.
Resources & Links:
Impact Makers Episode 2 – The Thriving Contrarian With Laurie Ruettimann
Impact Makers Episode 5 – Radical Candor In Marketing With William Tincup
The Talent Fix: A Leader’s Guide To Recruiting Great Talent
Impact Makers Episode 15 – Rewire Yourself For Growth With Tim Sackett
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