Student Perspective: Shaping the future - Cecilia Zhang

Growing up, I always had a clear career vision to either become a pop star or a human resources director!

This is partly because eight-year-old Cecilia always prided herself on being a leader, as she made others willingly follow her every decision (you guessed it, I’m the older sibling). My instinctual protectiveness and sense of responsibility to unify my girlfriends on the school grounds has shaped my interest in supporting those around me. Naturally, I became a Management student at the University of Auckland. You might ask, what is it like to study human resources? As I reached nine years old, I soon realised that ‘being bossy’ was definitely not good enough to be a successful HR director.

As students, we are challenged to always think critically about a variety of HRM topics. Should humour be encouraged in the workplace? How could we address the gender pay gap? Participating in these discussions has not only expanded my perspective of the HR industry it has made me feel empowered to be part of society’s transition towards a more inclusive, autocratic workforce.

Participating in HRM discussions has ... made me feel empowered to be part of society’s transition towards a more inclusive, autocratic workforce.

The study of human behaviour and psychology has also enabled me to thrive in team-based projects. I especially enjoy the process of facilitating collaborative environments for my peers to leverage off each other’s strengths. With the eagerness to gain more practical experience, I signed up for an HRNZ Student Event at Auckland University of Technology. Hearing from a diverse panel of directors, partners and entrepreneurs was highly motivating because it showed me where a career in HR could lead. I was drawn to the personalities of HRNZ’s leaders and share the same values: to support the community of young HR professionals. This drove me to apply for the role of a student ambassador. However, it did not come without its challenges. In particular, the COVID-19 lockdown brought about unconventional methods of communicating and required a degree of creativity in the way we worked around each other. One of the biggest challenges was facilitating the panel for the ‘Changing HR Landscapes’ webinar over Zoom for students across New Zealand. This really put all of my communication skills (and improv skills) to the test!

My role as a student ambassador has already pushed me to take part in many opportunities outside of my comfort zone.

Even though I am still a ‘newbie’ to the organisation, my role as a student ambassador has already pushed me to take part in many opportunities outside of my comfort zone. I am grateful to be entrusted with this position where I can have the licence of freedom in setting and delivering my goals. HRNZ’s warm and supportive culture is one that I am also motivated to carry into my future workplace. Being able to contribute to the meaningful cause of building a platform for my peers to share ideas and inspire each other has overall made the whole experience invaluable. I am excited to unpack the HR industry further as I continue to study, and I cannot wait to work on more projects with the team at HRNZ to shape the future of people and culture in New Zealand.

Cecilia Zhang is a third-year management and marketing student at the University of Auckland. With her passion for engaging with and influencing the community, she aspires to one day become a CEO of a social enterprise. She also studies classical music and loves to sing.