HR manager interview
pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Arizona State University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
259
Subject
Communications
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
Pages
8
Uploaded by ElderWaterBuffalo3851
Quintana
1
Nancy Aguilar: Career Research Interview Anthony Quintana COM 259: Communication for Business and the Professions Dr. Steven P. Garry September 20, 2023
Quintana
2
For my career research interview, I wanted to choose a profession that I have been interested in for the longest time. That profession is Human Resources and what appeals to me about this career is the constant use of problem-solving skills, because I consider that one of my biggest strengths. It was a struggle at first to find someone in Human Resources, willing to do a recorded interview, however, I remembered that my cousin Angie Lule has a great relationship with the HR manager for the company where she works at. Her name is Nancy Aguilar, and I was able to set up an interview with her very quickly. She was extremely honest and helpful with every question, which made me learn so much about this career path.
The first thing we delved into was Mrs. Aguilar's driving force and what led her to choose a career in Human Resources. She told me that it was never her first choice, however, after not enjoying her first major choice, she had a very long conversation with her advisor about what to do next. Mrs. Aguilar noted that this was one of the very first instances of realizing how important communication skills are not only in your career but also in everyday life (Adler & Maresh-Fuehrer, 2023, p. 48). She stated this because by learning to effectively communicate her issues, they were able to come up with a major that suited all her needs and made her excited about learning in general. It was a lovely reminder of it being okay to try out new things and fail along the way until you find the right one for you. After discussing her motivations, Mrs. Aguilar mentioned that she is an ASU alumnus, which made her want to do this interview even more. Then we dove into what a daily work schedule entails for her as an HR manager. Mrs. Aguilar stated that being an HR manager consists of being used to an atypical schedule because she has so many daily goals to accomplish. She said there are a lot of meetings involved, budgeting discussions, employee relations, and recruiting. The unpredictability every day is what makes the job so exciting for
Quintana
3
Mrs. Aguilar and I could hear it in her voice. However, she did mention that it can be easy to get overwhelmed, Mrs. Aguilar stated that is important to have a detailed weekly agenda to help you stay organized (Adler & Maresh-Fuehrer, 2023, p. 74). Afterward, I asked Mrs. Aguilar what the journey was like to land her current job and if she if she is content with it. She stated that she could not be any happier with her current role and that the road here was not easy at all, especially being of Hispanic heritage and being a woman. Mrs. Aguilar stated that after years of being an entry-level HR coordinator, her ex-employer noticed how intelligent, respectful, and of how much of an active listener she was when compared to all other employees and took a chance on her (Adler & Maresh-Fuehrer, 2023, p. 57). Mrs. Aguilar thought she was never going to advance because all other HR managers landed the job because they had connections. I learned through Mrs. Aguilar, that any career you choose to start putting your name out there either through attending summits or career fairs because this is how you get advanced. This is sad because that does not necessarily mean that it goes to the most qualified. Now that we covered how Mrs. Aguilar obtained her current position, we discussed lighter topics like the best and worst parts of the job. Mrs. Aguilar told me that the best part of being an HR manager is being able to make a difference in people’s day-to-day lives, by either resolving their issues or helping them advance in their positions. That is something that she has always wanted to do, and I share the same desire. The part that Mrs. Aguilar does not enjoy is being the bearer of bad news, such as layoffs and budget cuts. Mrs. Aguilar told me that if I am serious about a career in HR, I must be ready to have people see me as a villain so Human Resources requires you to have a high sense of workplace dignity (Adler & Maresh-Fuehrer,
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Quintana
4
2023, p. 74). This will allow you to feel more self-assured in your capability and, in turn, allow other people to realize that you are not backing down.
Since we were on the topic of self-confidence, I asked Mrs. Aguilar if she had always naturally had leadership skills and it turned out that it’s something she still struggles with to this day. Mrs. Aguilar stated that what helped her the most was college because she forced her out of her comfort zone like signing up for clubs and taking courses on public speaking. This is where she learned the art of persuasion because that is what most meetings’ goal is, to get the audience to see what is right in front of their face (Adler & Maresh-Fuehrer, 2023, p. 84). I could not agree with this more and we also talked about how perseverance plays such a big role in leadership because you need to be able to come to terms with losses and mistakes are inevitable. It is all about how you deal with them that makes you a good leader or not. After discussing leadership skills, I noticed that Mrs. Aguilar mentioned taking charge of a lot of meetings and presentations. This prompted me to ask about any tips she could have about what it takes to have a successful, effective meeting. Other than having an agenda, she said to make sure to make everyone feel included in the conversation. She mentioned asking certain types of questions like overhead, direct, and reverse questions, which I recognized from the textbook (Adler & Maresh-Fuehrer, 2023, p. 77). The importance of keeping participation equal among everyone is that this will make everyone feel included in the decisions being made and engage in the ideas being presented. The second big tip Mrs. Aguilar mentioned is to be aware of your nonverbal communication because when you have an entire room with all eyes on you every little detail will be dissected (Adler & Maresh-Fuehrer, 2023, p. 42). As we were nearing the end of our interview, I asked Mrs. Aguilar, what the future career outlook in Human Resources is and what would be the most surprising thing people would find
Quintana
5
of being an HR manager. Mrs. Aguilar said that she would say the career outlook is extremely bright because companies will not require a Human Resources representative. There are so many roles and tasks that an HR manager must do that companies will find a hard time succeeding without them. She was not wrong at all, because it is projected to grow 5 percent in 10 years, which is faster than the average for all occupations (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Also, the thing that people would find most surprising about working in HR is that a lot of it is truly just common sense and trusting your instinct. There is technical stuff you need to know, but after that, you learn more with every experience you have.
Lastly, I wanted to ask Mrs. Aguilar about how she was treated when she was just starting up because I can imagine it was not easy being of Hispanic heritage and being a woman. She stated that she faced a lot of workplace bullying and contemplated pursuing it (Adler & Maresh-
Fuehrer, 2023, p. 45). However, she was grateful she experienced this early on because she was able to implement serious changes about how people like her are treated and cracked down on company policies regarding any kind of bullying. This allowed her to continue loving what she does and hopefully, made it easier for women and people of different races to comfortably move up the ladder.
Nancy Aguilar shared a truly inspiring and beautiful story that anybody can resonate with. Her story is a reminder that if you are respectful and kind along your path, people will notice and appreciate it. The corporate world is corrupt, so you most likely won’t be recognized right away, but your time will come. I left the interview with. A lot of hope and newfound strength to continue pursuing a career in Human Resources.
Quintana
6
Documentation of interviewee:
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Quintana
7
Appendix
1.
What made you choose to be an HR manager as your career?
2.
What school did you attend and what did you major in?
3.
What daily tasks do you perform as an HR manager?
4.
What was the process like from attending school to landing your current job?
5.
Are you content with your current role or are there other career goals you have not accomplished yet?
6.
What would you say is the most challenging part of the job?
7.
What do you find the most enjoyable about your job?
8.
As an HR manager, you must take charge of a variety of situations most of the time, making you a leader. Therefore, is leadership something that came naturally to you, or was that a skill you had to work on?
9.
What are your tips for presenting a successful, effective meeting?
10.
What do you think the future career outlook for HR managers is like?
11.
What is something people would find surprising about HR managers?
12.
Since you are Hispanic, did you face any discrimination for your race or sex when you were just getting started? Also, if so, do you think discrimination is going down or up?
13.
What is the best advice you've ever received?
Quintana
8
Bibliography
best advice you've ever received? What is the best advice you've ever received?
Adler, R. B., Elmhorst, J. M., Maresh, M. M., & Lucas, K. (2023). Communicating at work: Strategies for Success in Business and the Professions
.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023, September 6). Human Resources Managers : Occupational Outlook Handbook
. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm