HR Consultant in San Diego

About C.J. Westrick, SPHR ...
your HR Jungle guide

I have been involved in human resources management and consulting since 1990, most recently as an HR consultant in San Diego. My experience is very hands-on, so any suggestions or opinions offered on this website or in anything I write is based on practical experience and use. I have built HR departments from nothing and improved processes in other companies.

Having worked inside both mid-size (1,750 employees) and small companies (25+ employees), I can honestly say that I have experience in all aspects of human resources. My preference, though, is for smaller companies because I enjoy a more in-depth understanding of the company as a whole. This typically allows me to make better recommendations because every company has its own unique culture and HR needs to be able to work in or around it.

Nearly every company that has employed me, regardless of company size, has had a nationwide sales force. In my earliest days of HR management, working with employees nationwide exposed me to a wider array of HR issues than commonly experienced in regional small companies.

Human resources is a field that requires constant education and the ability to manage change. Every year more state and Federal employment laws are introduced. Human resources professionals must understand, implement, and explain these laws to ensure compliance. Networking with other professionals, being an active member of HR associations, and professional certification are methods I’ve used to keep my knowledge up-to-date.

My SPHR certification (Senior Professional in Human Resources) is an example of my professional dedication. People often wonder what the SPHR means and I tell them it's kind of the HR equivalent of an accountant's CPA. I needed to have at least eight years of HR management experience to even qualify to take this nationwide HR test. Then I had to pass a test that proved my HR “body of knowledge.” Even though I passed the test and obtained certification, 60 relevant continuing education units are required every three years to maintain my certification. According to Workforce.com, less than 5% of the approximately 820,000 HR professionals in the United States are SPHR-certified.

I currently work as an HR consultant in San Diego and throughout San Diego County and California. I started this website in an effort to help all those smaller California companies out there that don’t have or need one-on-one HR. Although I won’t know specifics about your particular company, I do know the needs and limitations of small companies and can provide you valuable information. As soon as you hire your first employee you become responsible for legal compliance of certain employment laws and the laws multiply as your company grows. I can help you understand which laws affect you and help you set up your processes so everything runs smoothly and effectively.

How Can You Be Sure I Have Time to Work With Your Company?

This is not an uncommon question since I am, at this time, a solo entreprenuer. When you hire me as your HR Consultant I know you're hiring me, not some staff member you haven't met. It's my expertise, my experience, and even my personality that made you choose me.

The way I handle the pressures on my time is to delegate any task that doesn't actually require me to be the one doing it. That means I am able to outsource my accounting, my admin work, my database maintenance, and even many of the lower level HR tasks. As a business owner it's my responsibility to oversee all these aspects of my business but not to be the one doing them.

Since my face-time with a client isn't something I can delegate, I make sure I have freed up as much time as possible for that purpose. I want to spend time with my clients, not with paperwork or tasks that others can do. Bottom line, I don't take on a new client if I'm unable to provide you with the time and attention you want or need.

Professional Activities and Affiliations

• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) Certification
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, with honors
• Better Business Bureau Member
• San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Member, including Business Alliance Group Member
• California Chamber of Commerce Member
• National Human Resources Association (NHRA) Member, including the following offices on the Board of Directors: Past President of the San Diego Affiliate, President of the San Diego Affiliate (twice), President-Elect and Vice President of Membership of the San Diego Affiliate, and Vice President of Publicity of the San Diego Affiliate
• Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Past Member
• University of California, San Diego’s HR Leadership Program Graduate
• Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA) Past Member
• Marin Human Resources Forum Past Member, including Vice President on the Board of Directors
• Marin County Child Care Commission Business Task Force Past Member
• Northern California Human Resources Council (NCHRC) Past Member

How to Contact

• Email:    cj@HRjungle.com
• Phone:  858.344.9015
• Fax:      858.345.3293
• Mail:      C.J. Westrick
              HR Jungle
              P.O. Box 17301
              San Diego CA 92177-0301