Handshakes and introductions were the norm Wednesday at the Chamber’s second HR Forum of the year.

The program, titled “Building Talent: Intern Recruitment, Acquisition and Retention,” convened about 24 fellows/interns and HR professionals in the Chamber’s Saint Francis Health System Conference Room.

Rue Ramsey, the Chamber’s vice president of workforce and talent strategies, led the 90-minute, networking-style luncheon.

Matthew Costanza, director of account management at Albin Engineering Services, said young adults entering the workforce “have gotten a little bit of a bad rap because the perception is they want to make more money or X, Y or Z. Those trends have changed, and they want part of the American Dream, and their part of the American Dream is going to cost employers $70,000.

“When I got out of college, I took a job that was $24,000, and that was 15 years ago. We haven’t caught up to that. But events like this will help bridge that gap between what young people in the workforce want and need, and what employers are going to be able to provide.”

HR professionals from companies, educational institutions, nonprofits and tribes shared overviews of their organizations. During one part of the program, interns moved from table to table in three-minute increments – speed-dating style – to converse with potential employers.

“Technology is going to be changing; everything is going to be changing, so I want to be on the front end of that change instead of trying to catch up,” Costanza said. “I was not ready for the KPIs (key performance indicators) and metrics on how you are doing your job. It seems like these young adults coming out of college are ready for these things. They understand that those things are coming.”

Ramsey posed questions to interns about the most important elements of a job and how they seek work.

Courtney Wasserott, a Tulsa Regional Chamber intern, said cover lettersare an effective way to grab a potential employer’s attention. Ream Ghanem (Campus Tulsa) said a non-negotiable of hers is any organization that stymies growth. Megan Turner (211 of Eastern Oklahoma) stressed that supervisors shouldn’t make entry-level employees feel too intimidated to ask questions.

Three times a year, the Chamber’s HR Forums convene talent professionals from member companies to learn best practices, increase collaboration and discuss strategies to recruit, hire and retain employees.The final HR Forum of the year will be on Nov. 7.

“I think it’s very valuable because we really don’t get the opportunity to get out of our offices that often,” said Myrna Paakkonen, human resources director at the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. “Now, when we can meet one-on-one with them (interns), we are able to see exactly what they are looking for and what we can do to recruit them. That can be beneficial for us.”