Episode 55: Kimberly Nerpouni VP of Human Capital.

Welcome to the Pandocap show!

Today we are featuring Kimberly Nerpouni, VP of Human Capital. 

Kimberly Nerpouni has over 15 years of Human Capital experience. However, she started her professional career in Information Technology building and leading Customer Service and Tech Support teams. In 2002, she made the leap to Human Capital with the desire to focus all her energy on the connection between the employee experience and high-performing teams. She’s currently the Vice President of People Operations at a boutique investment bank based in San Francisco. She began her Human Capital career in the Management Consulting industry at Bain & Company. During her nearly thirteen years at Bain, she worked across the Human Resources, Recruiting, Professional Development, and Corporate Alumni functions. 

Kimberly earned a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications from San Francisco State University. She is SPHR certified through the HR Certification Institute. Kimberly proudly grew up in the Bay Area. She currently lives in Oakland with her husband and daughter. Besides Talent Management, her interests include cooking, skiing, and traveling with her family and friends. 

Q: Can you share your background and career journey?

A: I have been working in Human Capital for over 15 years where I spent most of my career at Bain & Company, the management consulting firm. I have been working in the investment banking industry for the last 5 years, as Head of Talent Management and currently as VP of People Operations.  I have worked across all the areas of the employee lifecycle from recruitment, onboarding, professional development, employee engagement, off-boarding, and alumni relations - the full employee experience.

Q: Employment numbers have fluctuated this year. How are companies thinking about employment or headcount in the current environment and moving into 2021?

A: In good times or bad times, we generally see a spike in the early part of most any year. There’s the psychology of it: a new year, a new beginning, let’s start hiring, let’s start that new project, etc. Also the fiscal calendar lines up to the calendar year for a lot of companies. The new year triggers a budget reset and refresh for many hiring teams. So I think that is good news for those who are looking for new opportunities in early 2021.

Q: We currently see companies continue the hiring process through Zoom. What do you think about continuing to hire through this process both the negative and positive impacts?

A: Unfortunately, “bad hires” happen all the time pre-covid, during covid, and will happen post-covid. I think it’s about having the mechanics of a robust and well-aligned recruiting process in place. Virtual hiring can amplify bad processes but well-oiled teams are hiring successfully despite covid. Those organizations that have a robust process, aligned to the needs of the business have been able to weather the storm and proven to be resilient. 

Q: How do you stay top of mind through the interview process?

A: The number one piece of advice I would give a candidate is to do your homework and be as prepared as possible. This is a differentiator and will make you stand out in the hiring process. Show you have genuine interest and enthusiasm. There is no better way to demonstrate that than to do your due diligence on the organization and the industry. 

Q: If you are at the end of the process and you are not selected, should companies give you feedback?

A: I believe in giving candidates feedback, especially the candidates that make it to the end of the process where they are one of two candidates. It is a long process and we ask a lot of candidates to give their time and energy. We ask them to come to the interviews excited, engaged, and imagine themselves working at the company.  I think in the current environment where we are creating engaged workforces, organizations put more value on transparency, inclusion, and belonging.  There is room for critical feedback for the candidate that doesn’t get the job. It is a sign of respect and I think it is well earned for any candidate that has spent hours with you and your organization. 

Thank you for being on the Pandocap show. We look forward to having you back.