Human Resources Advisor
My background
I studied my A-Levels in Law, Sociology, I.T and Business Studies, and then went onto Uni to study BA Hons Sociology and Marketing. After my degree I wanted to continue studying in order to streamline my career path. I decided to combine my interest in business with social science and do my MSc in Human Resource Management & Business. At the same time I studied for my CIPD, so it was quite a busy year with my social life in the Uni library! My first job out of Uni was with local government, where I worked specifically on a Home Office HR project, where I gained lots of experience.
Why Mercian?
I was attracted to Mercian because of the research that I did prior to my interview and assessment. I liked what I saw and in particular looked at the Equality & Diversity element of the core values. After reading Mercian’s values, I knew that I would be able to put them into practice. The initial attraction was the job and it was a great opportunity to develop my career in HR. I had never thought about a career in housing before, but after reading Mercian literature, it encouraged me to apply.
My job Everyday is interesting and challenging. There is never a dull moment! The position has really given me an insight into the operations of a Human Resources department, whilst giving me the opportunity to get involved in some project work.
On a typical day HR is really unpredictable, one day you could be working on recruitment, interviewing candidates or running assessments. Another day you could be involved in delivering training, writing a policy or advising staff on employment law issues. There are some exciting projects that I have been involved in, for example developing our website to include an online application process, reviewing and writing our Health & Safety and Recruitment policies, and helping to organise and present at our annual staff conference!
My advice to you… To work at Mercian you definitely need to have good communication skills and the ability to relate to a diverse range of people. Commitment is essential, as at times work can be challenging and busy and so it’s important to understand what Mercian does and the service it provides to customers. To do my job, you need to be able to prioritise, communicate well and be very organised!