From the editor

For me, my career path into HR was quite an obvious one. I have always loved talking with people and understanding what made them tick, so human resources seemed the perfect place. I came from a family of scientists, so I was going out on a limb by pursuing a career in a field so ‘unmeasurable’ as HR. It made sense to me, though. At school, I wasn’t aware you could do a university degree in HRM, so instead, I studied languages (French and German) so I could communicate with more people and understand what made them tick.

After graduating, I was offered a place on the Boots Graduate Training Programme in the United Kingdom. This involved me undertaking four work placements in four locations over two years. I got to experience it all: from employee relations (like dealing with retail assistants fighting on the shop floor in London) to training and development (devising an employee reward and recognition scheme in Birmingham) and everything in between, I learnt the ropes of HR. I got to experiment, say yes to as many opportunities as possible and find some great mentors.

As with any career, it’s never linear – and like my father used to say –your career is like a tree: you can go down one branch, and if you need or want to change it, you can choose another branch! And that’s pretty much what I’ve done. From HR Business Partner for a multinational company to home educator to writer and editor (including of this HR magazine!), I’ve certainly tried different branches. The common thread: people and how they tick.

This issue of Human Resources magazine is packed with great examples of different career paths. We hear from five HR professionals who are all following their own unique paths. NZ HR Awards winner Julia Stones shares her wisdom on how to build a fulfilling career, and Jackie Lloyd from the Institute of Directors asks how we can continue to build the pipeline of HR professionals. And be sure to check out the opinion piece from Danni Ermilova Williams, former New Zealand HR Professional of the Year, who shares her thoughts on solving the homogeneity of HR.

Focusing on where we’re heading in our careers is vital – I hope this issue provides helpful tools and inspiration!

Kathy Catton

Managing Editor

Kathy.Catton@hrnz.org.nz