This former Marine first honed his HR chops recruiting the few, the proud

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Gary Deitch’s first foray into the world of HR was in Marine Corps recruiting. The former marine told HR Brew that recruiting for that branch of the US armed forces “had a sense of drive and a mission focus.” It was incredibly important to draw in the right candidate in that work. Deitch later took on a role with Deloitte Consulting, where he learned a lot about civilian human capital management.

“Coming out of the military,” he said, “you really don’t know what you don’t know, and being able to learn from experts [at Deloitte]...was invaluable.”

Now an HR business partner for the MITRE corporation, a nonprofit that works with the US armed forces, Deitch advises leaders who work on its Department of Defense business. It’s an opportunity to leverage his “background in recruiting and human capital consulting” in a new way. Deitch spends a lot of time focusing on data analytics and devising strategic data-based recommendations to leaders on issues like hiring and turnover, as well as working to address career development.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What’s the best change you’ve made at work?

Showing up as a valued asset to leaders and employees, rather than [being] seen as a transactional asset focused on administrative actions. This has evolved over time, but it’s in how you present your ideas and show that you can bring a wealth of knowledge and strategic thinking to an organization.

What’s the biggest misconception people might have about your job?

People sometimes think that HR [is] a bunch of unfriendly, rules-focused professionals aimed at policing organizations. While some of our functions could be perceived as that, most of what we do in strategic engagements [is] to enable leaders to make decisions, and HR is there backing them up or providing recommendations that allow leaders to lead.

What’s the most fulfilling aspect of your job?

I really enjoy solving tough problems. Whether it’s working with a senior leader on a complicated employee relations issue or helping my organization with HR data analytics and root-cause analysis, I get fulfillment in seeing a challenge be tackled. I do also enjoy simple things like when an employee or leader recognizes the value of HR with a “thank you,” or better yet, “Wow, I could not have done that without your help.”

What trend in HR are you most optimistic about and why?

I am really optimistic about the future of utilizing emotional intelligence for leadership development. Emotional intelligence has become the forefront for skills development in leaders since the Covid pandemic—better understanding the workforce needs, and focusing more on well-being and reading people and organizations better.

What trend in HR are you least optimistic about and why?

I am least optimistic about AI and its integration into HR. While some routine tasks could be automated, most of what HR does can’t have an AI-driven solution behind it, especially for dealing with employee relations issues or advising the workforce to mitigate risk.