HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT: Employer

HUMAN RESOURCES ASSISTANT: ROLE PLAYING SCRIPT FOR EMPLOYER,
Ms. Suarez, University of Nevada, Reno - SPRING 2010

It is May 2010. You are the VP of Human Resources for Lionsgate, the premier independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, home entertainment, family entertainment, television programming and video-on-demand content. You are opening a new office in Reno, Nevada and have an immediate opening for an entry level HR Assistant in this office’s Human Resources department.

This position will handle a variety of administrative tasks. Responsibilities will include tracking and circulating contracts for signatures, preparing stock packets for employees, maintaining contract files, conducting phones screens, checking references for candidates, assisting with college interns, and helping coordinate company events. Since this office will be relatively small the person hired for this job must be flexible, know the area and have exceptional computer and interpersonal skills. He or she must also appreciate the confidential nature of the department. Candidates should be extremely detail-oriented, with the ability to multi-task and have the ability to meet tight deadlines. Some prior experience in Human Resources is preferred, and a college degree is required.

This is an excellent opportunity for the right candidate. You have just attended a job fair at UNR and met many bright young men and women who will be graduating in June. You must fill this position quickly and have interviewed many candidates. Yesterday, you interviewed Ms. Schindler at the fair. She has a BS Degree in Business/Human Resource Management with a 3.5 GPA and a Minor in Spanish. This was particularly impressive, as much of the new programming at Lionsgate is for a Latino audience and the HR department will be dealing with many Spanish speaking applicants.

Ms. Schindler is exactly what you have been looking for, and after interviewing her yesterday you offered her the job an entry level Human Resource Assistant in your new office, and asked her to return today to set her salary, benefits and start date.

You knew immediately that Ms. Schindler would be of great value to Lionsgate for many years, and you may soften on driving a hard financial bargain because of her exceptional potential. However, you are the consummate professional and department head, are budget conscious and offer competitive salaries. www.wageproject.org tells you that the salary range for a newly minted Human Resource Assistant II in the Reno area is $32,000 to $41,000 with a medium salary of $36,000. The benefits for this position add another $17,000 to the compensation package.

Typically new hires are paid at the low end of the salary range, $32,000, and because of budget constraints and the prolonged economic recessions, you will start there, especially since Ms. Schindler is just graduating and understands how tight corporate budgets can be. The benefits package you are offering for this position is $14,000.

Ms. Schindler’s job offer is the last piece of your work for the day. You have to leave in 15 minutes to catch a flight back to the home office in LA.

When you and Ms. Schindler sit down to talk, your opening lines to her are:

“We’re so pleased that you want to work for Lionsgate. You’ll be a wonderful addition to our team

I have just a couple details to settle, then you can sign our contract, and we’ll see you after graduation.

I am authorized to offer you a starting salary of $32,000. You will be entitled to the standard benefits package all new employees get of $14,000, and we’d like you to start here on June 1st.

If that’s okay with you, please read over this contract, sign it and you’ll be the new HR Assistant in our new Reno office.”

See how she reacts. Listen to her. Write down what points might persuade you to raise this offer. Write down what language she might use would make you hold the line and not raise her starting salary and why. Write down what objections you would have if she wants more money. Discuss thoughtfully with her, because you want her to accept your job offer.

In this discussion, see what is the lowest starting salary and benefits package that you can get her to accept and get her to accept a specific salary in the 15 minutes before you have to leave.

Remember, you made her a job offer because you really want her. Now it’s time to get her to work for Lionsgate Reno.

Good Luck!