Welcome to the latest Carnival of Human Resources!   We welcome all HR, Business, Training and related blog posts, with the only requirement being that you have to be topical, opinionated and bring your "A" game to the table...  Or two out of those three...

This installment moves from the fairground to the network studio, as we present the "Top 10 Benefits of a Career in HR/Talent Management", Letterman style. 

Paul, can I get a drum roll please?

Here are the Top 10 Benefits of a Career in HR/Talent Management:

10.  Buying a Xbox for the lobby is now an acceptable budgeted expense.  Don't believe me?  Check out Michael Wolfe at Career Revolution as he explores why gaming is good for teamwork at places like IBM...

9.  You can open channels of communication, then watch them fill with water as a thunderstorm moves through your area.   Fortify Your Oasis profiles a CIA initiative to put all the laundry up on an internal blog, only to watch it implode... 

8.  You'll Feel the warm satisfaction at listening to people vent and then being creative about finding ways to make them feel valued.  That's what Mabel and Harry focus on in reminding us that the customer is always right, even when they aren't. 

7.  Treating people with respect is always reinforced, except when it's not.  Especially when you are going the extra mile to call a candidate you won't be moving forward with, only to have them crush you with their disappointment.  Of course, as The Career Encouragement Blog points out, that probably means you made the right call in selection....

6.  Candidates will show you the love for letting them know where they stand in the process via email - except when they don't - Ask A Manager illustrates that a scorching email is only a mouse click away for the candidate who feels scorned.  And they can do it with a straight face while using an email address like [email protected] as well!  Nice!!

5.  Doing your job means sometimes watching customers squirm.  Ann Barnes at Compensation Force brings the money view to the table by linking bad performance management to the standard 3% raise.  The solution?  Force managers (even those of the HR variety) to give smaller increases to low performers to ensure proper rewards for the stars...

4.  You get to pick leaders, but you also are responsible for growing them.  As Wally Bock points out, leaders are born and made.  So don't slack off on the recruiting or development front.  You get to do both!   Lucky you!!

3.  You get to pick out your own chair at the table.  But of course, the Evil HR Lady reminds us that some people don't think you should sit there, so get to the meeting early and remind people you do more than manage forms.

2.  Your Business Card can have a groovy title like Chief People Officer, Minister of Morale, or maybe "Gatekeeper" - Deb at 8 Hours & a Lunch tries to walk a lost candidate through the web of candidate screening.  My favorite part of this post - Deb explaining to the candidate that a "strong work ethic" position on a resume isn't exactly a differentiator in the recruiting game.  So true...

AND THE NUMBER ONE BENEFIT OF A CAREER IN HR/TALENT MANAGEMENT.....

1.  You'll become adept at disagreeing with your non-HR boss without getting fired.  But of course, as Lisa at HR Thoughts reminds us, it's more of an art than a science, so you might want to observe some behavior before you jump in there...

And of course, if you do your job well and are a player, in addition to these benefits you'll also generate enough internal currency to move to a non-HR job to recharge your batteries.   But you'll come back eventually...  They always do....

Lisa at HR Thoughts has the next Carnival in 2 weeks.  Lisa, remember who had you #1!!!