Can you guess what human resources (HR) trend Amy Lentz, the creator of Hack Your HR, thinks will change the way we work? (Hint: It's not AI-related.) Lentz recently sat in the Glassdoor Community Hot Seat to share her thoughts on that question with job seekers. But that's not all. She also provided tips on leadership, salary negotiations, and more.
Read on to see her response and what she had to say about how to "hack" HR and get ahead in your career.
What's the biggest HR "myth" you wish workers would stop believing?
"HR can be perceived as the final decision-maker for hires, promotions, and exits. We partner with hiring managers and leaders to determine how to work with their goals, needs, and budgets. A way to break through a manager not representing you accurately is arming yourself with assets to represent what you want/need.
For example, if you're hoping to get promoted, don't just have a conversation with your boss where they say 'Let me check with HR' and come back with a no. Instead, create a one-pager with:
- Where you are now
- Where you want to go (title bump, salary increase, promotion, expanded impact, etc.)
- Money saved/made (if possible)
If they say no, ask if they showed the one-pager to HR or Finance. Help us help you by creating 'evidence' for your ask."
How can I get feedback from my boss when they're not naturally a "coach"?
"I recommend that instead of using the word 'feedback,' you ask for their advice. So if you completed a project and want to know what they think, you could say, 'Hey, after completing XYZ project, I'm hoping to get your advice on what you noticed and what I could do differently next time.'
If you're remote or hybrid:
- Share your screen in a meeting so they can watch you pull up your own findings
- Type in real time what they share, so they see you're taking notes
If you can tell they're uncomfortable, don't force time spent on it, move on, and then bring it up in a new scenario — little by little, they'll see you're truly trying to grow. Whatever they share, don't get defensive - you could ask follow-up questions, take notes, and thank them for their advice."
How do I discuss compensation expectations for a promotion before it happens?
"If you have a regular 1-1 touchbase [with your manager], I recommend bringing it up conversationally, 'Hey, I wanted to bring up promotion approvals coming up. I know budgets are locked soon, and I wanted to ask if I can provide anything helpful to the discussions you may be having to represent my work in the best way. I've done some research and am happy to share salary ranges I've found across a handful of openings online that reflect what we've talked about. My goal is to grow here, and I'd love for my expanded scope to be reflected in title/pay, and want to do my diligence in supporting you, supporting me - thank you.'"
What HR trend will change the way we work in the next few years?
"I've seen and heard senior leaders up to CEOs comment on who has an appetite for change (e.g. AI) and doubling down on investing in employees who are energized with how their role will evolve. I think people who take a 'squeaky wheel' approach to advocating for themselves, and do it by proposing new ways of working will be tapped as leaders to lead their team/department/across departments into new ways of working. Whoever sees a problem, shares potential solutions, creates a plan to make it happen, and offers to lead the execution or step back and follow - those people get noticed."
Follow Amy Lentz on Glassdoor Community for more insights to guide your job search.