Job Q&A
by Thad Peterson
[more job Q&As]

Monster.com: Dan, give me a bit of background on yourself. How did you get to this job?

Dan Hoppe: You would think that because it's an Internet company, I got the job from an online ad or job Web site. But that's not the case. I actually responded to an ad in the Chicago Tribune. I have about 13 years of overall management experience and started in HR about three years ago. My BA is in criminal justice, and I have an MBA and a master's degree in human resources from the Keller Gradate School of Management. My bachelor's degree is in criminal justice.

Mc: Did you make an intentional effort to work at an Internet company or did this just happen to be a good match for you? I know that Drinks.com is a new company; what does that mean as an HR manager?

DH: I was searching with an open mind, but I was interested in working for a startup company. Drinks.com was looking for a HR director because they were growing (they had about 42 employees at the time) and wanted to focus on recruitment and employee relations. It's been an exciting time, not just because we're a startup company, but also because you can see the fruits of your labor as the staff and company grow.

DH: I'm a traditionalist. I like one-on-one or two-on-one interviews; any more than that and you make a mockery of the process, intimidate the candidate, and don't always have the opportunity to follow up properly. At my last company, we conducted five-on-one interviews that were sometimes comical. Everyone wanted to ask the question that would trip up the candidate and knock him out of the box.

DH: It’s tough. On the flip side, I have over 400 resumes on file for some positions. It's hard to get through them all, but we do. It's even tougher to send out timely rejection letters. But it's something I believe to be important, even though not all HR people send them. It lets candidates know that we've received their resumes. We're picky in what we are looking for, because the company is new and does not have the time available for a huge learning curve. You pretty much have to hit the ground running with us.

DH: I guess in the same way that any other HR director or manager would. I try to recruit the best people; develop retention strategies; make sure our benefits are competitive with other companies out there; and make sure that the employees have a happy, healthy workplace.