Executive Roundtables Information for Students
This is a session that will give you the opportunity to meet and exchange questions and ideas with executives from very prominent companies. Please visit our web page frequently to see what companies plan to be involved in this event. If would be appreciated if you could RSVP to reserve a spot for the roundtables.
So that the executives can tell a little bit about who they will be talking to, we will ask that you pick up a nametag when you arrive with an affixed sticker that corresponds to you. The colors indicate the following:
- Blue: invited ILR seniors
- Orange: invited ILR juniors
- Red: first year MILR students
- Green: second year MILR students
- Yellow: all other students (MPS, PHD, MS, BS, MBA, etc.)
After the roundtable sessions, you are invited to attend the reception along with the company executives. You will be able to pick up information on the companies attending, and there will be folders for each company where you will be able to drop off your resume for any that you are interested in.
To help you prepare for this session, below is a list of recommended questions you may want to ask the participating company representatives.
In Pursuing an Human Resource Career:
- What are the major business challenges your firm faces and what is your firm doing to meet those challenges? How is human resources involved in meeting those challenges?
- How do you think the field of human resources will change over the next 5 years? What will be different about human resources in the future?
- What do your think are the 3 most important competencies that an human resource professional has to have, or will have to have, in order to be successful in contributing to the firm? How can we build those competencies during our time here at Cornell?
- What did it take for you to reach your level of responsibility? What experiences did you find most helpful in developing your skills as a human resource professional?
- What are the advantages/disadvantages of a rotational program versus hiring directly to a specific job?
In the Field:
- How does human resources add value to your organization? Do non-human resource people believe that human resources adds value?
- What ishuman resources role in helping your company attain its strategic goals?
- In many companies, quality management is part of human resources. Is this or isn’t it a good idea?
- Why use temps, how should they be used, and to what extent should they be integrated into the company? What are the pros and cons of using temp labor?
- How is compensation being used to achieve competitive advantage at your organization?
- What are compensation issues in a bear market? How do you attract and retain excellent people if stock is no longer an incentive?
- What is the impact of dynamic benefit structures in your company (e.g. domestic partner benefits for unmarried or unable to marry employees)?
- What does your company do to address family/work life issues?
- Do you use alternative work arrangements (e.g. telecommuting, job sharing, flextime, etc.)?
- What are the advantages/disadvantages of a rotational program versus hiring directly to a specific job?
- How do you manage and measure intellectual capital?
- What are some specific initiatives in human resources in your company that you are really excited about?
- What does your human resource function do that could be considered a "best practice", i.e., something that other organizations might consider trying to imitate?
