We are pleased to announce the HRA- NCA membership vote for the 2008-2009 program year is complete and the proposed Board Officer slate was approved. This process was conducted in accordance with the Nominating Committee procedures and the Chapter By-Laws. On behalf of the Nominating Committee we thank all who participated in this important approval process, and especially the members who applied for Board positions.  We encourage those not selected to stay involved in other volunteer capacities.

The Nominating Committee was not able to finalize our nomination for the VP, Legislative position in time for the membership approval, but will announce an appointment for that position soon. Thank you to this year's Nominating Committee members - Lee Mariano, Lori Golino, Sonya Ousley Lee, and Rina Pennacchia - for their dedication and commitment to the Chapter by serving on the committee.

HRA-NCA 2008-2009 Board of Directors:

• President - Lee Mariano
• President-Elect - Cynthia Ward
• Secretary - Elisa Zlotowitz
• Treasurer - RaShaun Clark
• VP, Communications - Alana Golden
• VP, Education - Charlena Patterson
• VP, Legislative - (To be appointed by President)
• VP, Membership - Michelle Shands
• VP, Programs & Professional Development - Paul McGee
• VP, Public Relations & Marketing - Ed Hasan

Directors Appointed by the Incoming President:

• Director, Compensation & Benefit Surveys - Vanessa Wilson
• Director - Grace Dobson
• Director - Carolyn Cuppernull
• Director - Lori Golino

Congratulations to all of the newly elected officers!  We hope to see you at the June Meeting to meet your new Board of Directors.

Grace Dobson
Chair, Nominating Committee

This is a full day of interactive learning using proven techniques to improve your test scores and help you pass. "My approach is to learn by doing. I want to give participants ample opportunity to learn, practice and evaluate their own skills at preparing for and successfully taking the HRCI exam." -- Paul Shibelski

What you will learn:

• Review the current "Body of Knowledge" approved by HRCI.
• Effective strategies to prepare for the exam.
• Proven test-taking tips.
• How to evaluate your own skill level and improve it.
• How to be successful on the HRCI exam.

Recruiting Success Stories: The Secret Formula.

Recruiting top performers is never easy, but there are many proven strategies that will give you an immediate and significant competitive advantage. Bring your toughest recruiting challenges to our panel of experts who work on the front lines of recruiting. Ask your questions, get some answers, and start improving your recruiting results right away.

Speaker: Tom Morris, Morris Associates, Inc.

This session will cover:

• The two ways resumes are read ― and what that means for your resume.
• The problem with most resumes and how to avoid it.
• Typeface and size type to use in a resume.
• When to use a "personal" section.
• How to list education and training.
• Preferred length and format to use.
• Three ways to quantify accomplishments.
• The biggest mistake HR professionals make in writing a resume.
• Cover letters: yes and no and what to say in them.

Participants will get a chance to have their resume reviewed (with pre-registration ONLY). This is a free event. Dinner will be served.

Please contact Stephanie Simpson at 202- 220-0767 or via email at
ssimpson@fmi.org if you would like to attend.

In partnership with Washington SmartCEO magazine and Washington metropolitan chapters of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Helios HR proudly announces the 2008 Helios HR Apollo Awards™. The Apollo Awards recognize organizations that promote employee growth and development as an integral part of their organizational culture.

Celebrate this year's winners at the Apollo Awards breakfast ceremony!

Let your voice be heard! HRA-NCA is offering the chance for you to visit the offices of your Representatives and Senators to talk about issues affecting today's HR Professionals. We'll do all the prep work -- scheduling your visits and providing you with talking points. All you need to do is show up!

Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
No registration fee -- Lunch provided

Space is limited and on a first-come, first- served basis.

Questions and RSVP to:
Eric H. Oppenheim, SPHR
HRA-NCA Vice President of Legislative Affairs
eric@republicfoods.com
(240) 644-6542

The DC Chamber of Commerce seeks to match 300 area students (17-21 years old) with jobs this summer - providing them with the essential job skills needed in today's competitive job market. To make this ten-week internship program a success, we need the continued support and participation of the business sector. For more information and to download the enrollment forms go to www.dcchamber.org/syep or contact Dana Torrence at
dtorrence@dcchamber.org or 202-624- 0614.

Also, on May 13th, 2008, DAR will assist HRA- NCA launch its Job Shadowing Series. Under the direction of HRA-NCA member Leanne Vigliano, SPHR, Director of HR, DAR, we will host several students within various departments of DAR. We're looking forward to reporting on the success of this event!

Visit our Upcoming Events page for Other Local HR Events.

The Upcoming Events page on our web site shows the next five HRA-NCA sponsored events. We also keep track of upcoming events that may be of interest to you. One of the more recent additions is "Your Fired II! The Legal Process of Terminations" on May 8, 2008.

Do you have an event to submit? Send them to Rob Swatland, VP, Communications.

Thinking about international HR but not sure what's involved or how to get your foot in the door?

Attendees at a recent Job Seekers Group participated in an interactive presentation led by Ms. Alamelu Deivanayagam, HR Manager at FINCA International, Inc. as she described the joys and challenges of the international HR function. Using a laptop presentation she designed for the group, she gave an overview of how international HR differs from local or national HR, the complexities of international work and its impact on recruitment, benefits, etc., the background of a successful international HR practitioner, and how to enter the international sector.

Ms. Deivanayagam is an alumna of the HRA Job Seekers group and also talked about the help that she had received from the group during her job search several years ago.

The HRA-NCA Job Seekers Group generally meets twice a month and is open to any HR practitioner or someone hoping to become an HR practitioner. The meetings are geared to those in HR who are out of work, moving to the Washington metro area, returning to work, or changing careers. The meeting dates, times and location are posted on the HRA-NCA website and are free.

You may look up these and other members' information in the HRA-NCA online membership directory, using various search categories. Log in through the "Member Login" on the HRA-NCA website home page. Keep your membership record up-to-date so we don't lose touch!

HRA-NCA Welcomes These New Members

HRA-NCA invites organizations to sponsor our newsletter - or any of the following: monthly speaker presentations, our website, special events, etc. Interested? Contact Chris Cramer, HRA-NCA's PR & Sponsorship Chair, or access our information on the website. For this issue, sincere thanks to the following sponsor.

Attend the American Strategic Management Institute’s Audio Conference: HR Measures, Metrics and Analytics

The audio conference HR Measures, Metrics, and Analytics will take place May 13, 2008 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. EST.  This 90 minute session will discuss why HR Professionals can show bottom-line results to the organization by using metrics.  Chris DeVany, Founder of Pinnacle Performance Improvement Worldwide will discuss benchmarking your organization’s human capital approach in addition to how you can enhance the effectiveness of your HR strategies.

For more information on this audio conference call Laura Holzman at 703-894- 0481 or go to: http://www.asmiweb.com/webcast/f476.ht ml

FREE Posting and Pre-Screening Service for Non-exempt Jobs

A community-based 501(c)(3) organization, WORC assists Greater Washington's diverse population in finding jobs that can lead to sustainable careers. WORC serves as an employee referral agent between employers in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia and our region's workforce development organizations.

• WORC distributes a weekly eNewsletter, the WORC Job Board, to over 600 workforce development professionals. It contains hundreds of job openings for non-exempt positions.
• WORC collaborates with the area's workforce development organizations to identify and screen resumes - ensuring that qualified applicants are referred to hiring managers.

- 1 out of every 4 resumes referred to an employer by WORC receives an interview.
- 88% of WORC-referred individuals are still employed.

Are you looking to access a pool of qualified, pre-screened employee candidates? Please contact David Remick at 703-769-3712 or remick@worconline.org.

Visit WORC at www.worconline.org.