Age: A well kept secret Qualifications: BA in Politics and Behavioral Sciences , Macquarie University Sydney, 1989; Master of Business – Employee Relations, University of Technology, Sydney, 1998Job title: Human Resources Director, South East Asia, Australia and South Korea.Location: Singapore Has been with this company for 13yrs 6 months My motto/philosophy in life – I borrowed it from Gandhi, it is "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever"What drives me in my work:
My background and current job At university I am one of those people who left high school and went to university with really no idea of what I wanted to do in my future. I chose Politics and Behavioral Sciences purely because it interested me. In the first couple of years of my undergraduate degree, I was a pretty unspectacular student. It was in my third year, when I started working full time as well as studying full time, that I really got into my studies and started to achieve academically. I guess this was an early indication that I am a person who does not do well with a lot of time on my hands. I think my undergraduate degree helped me develop my research skills, my communication skills, and my networking skills. I started by HR career in Accenture in an entry level position, and decided that I needed some HR theory, so this is when I decided to do my Masters. This really helped me gain a better understanding of the theory, whilst I was getting practical experience.
My background I “fell” into HR. I was looking around for a role to really start my career and came upon a HR role and thought to myself, ‘that sounds pretty interesting’. Prior to that, I was the Operations Manager of an Aboriginal Dance Theatre – a VERY different role, but actually one that had a lot in common with HR, because it revolved around making sure that your employees (the dancers) were trained and motivated to be great performers.
My job I am the Director of HR for South East Asia, Australia and South Korea. This is an employee population is around 15,000, and they span 7 countries. My team and I look after the whole employment life cycle, from recruitment to induction, training, managing careers performance and rewards. Our direction is guided by our business strategy and we need to be flexible to be able to respond to our changing market places.
The best and worst bits The best thing about my job is my team. They challenge me, they make me laugh, and they make me proud. The worst bit is when we get bogged down in data analysis paralysis, which happens every now and then, but we always manage to find our way out of that.
My biggest achievement/My most memorable project My biggest achievement is the team I have right now. They are a talented and diverse group of professionals.
Important information: What are the important things that you think every graduate should know before considering your type of job and/or industry?HR is inextricably linked with you company’s business strategy. So if you are going to be a great HR professional, you have to always have a great insight into the company strategy, and consider yourself a creator and ‘enabler’ of the people side of that strategy. I also think with HR and actually any job, to be successful, you should ask yourself what your strengths are, and find a way in that role to play to those strengths. HR is a profession that has people with a great diversity of talents. Some HR professionals are highly analytical, and some are more skilled in relationship and stakeholder management. Both can be highly successful, you just need to find a way to use those talents effectively.
Some advice I think the company you join and the person you work for is actually more important than the role you take on, and is the key to your success. If you join a company that has the ability to provide you with the opportunities you want, then you will find a role that fits you. And if you work for someone that will sponsor, mentor and guide you, then you will prosper.