September 26 is #HumanResourceProfessionalDay.
Every day, HR professionals positively impact the lives of employees in workplaces around the world and contribute to the business strategy that allows their organizations to compete, grow and thrive.
We asked our bloggers to share their HR stories.
Why did you choose a career in HR?
I love hearing how my peers started their HR careers. I think my story is an interesting one. I consider myself a dream chaser and have worked hard to build a career in HR. It wasn’t the career path of choice for me. When I started college, I was chasing a dream in Dental Hygiene. Yes, that’s right, I was a little fascinated by people’s teeth! As life would have it, I married my high school sweetheart, and we traveled around the world. Because “home” was where the Air Force sent us. It just so happened, we went overseas to Germany. This is when I switched my degree track to HR. There are only so many degree programs overseas, and unfortunately, Dental Hygiene wasn’t one of them. Had life not selected me to be on Team Military Spouse, I would not be where I am in my career today. When you’re on Team Military Spouse, you make sacrifices. You learn how to take on change like a champion!
What has been the most rewarding part of your HR career?
There are so many highlights in my HR career. I think the most rewarding part of my career has been my involvement with SHRM. From my first conference experience as an attendee at #SHRM18 - to being invited to join the blogger team for #SHRM19, these have been the most rewarding parts of my career.
Why would you recommend a career in HR to students of those looking to transfer into the HR profession from another field?
I would say to a student pursuing a degree in HR, or to someone who is considering a career change to HR, follow your dreams. HR is a career field that is forever changing. It is rewarding and challenging at the same time. The challenges are intriguing and you learn from each experience. The role you play is one of the most important roles in an organization. Because people are at the heart of every organization.
What advice can you share with others who are planning a career in HR?
There is a complexity to HR. The landscape is always different. If you love a good challenge, then HR might be right for you. My best advice is to not be hard on yourself when faced with the tough decisions. Be the change agent, the people champion, the talent developer, and even the matchmaker. Because these are all the multiple hats of HR, and my peers wear these hats, just like me!
Michelle Kohlhof is a Senior Human Resources Business Partner with a large IT government contracting firm in the Northern Virginia area. She has 14 years of diverse human resources experience supporting small to large-size organizations. Her experience includes leading HR initiatives in the areas of policy design, compensation, performance management, compliance reporting, HRIS implementations, HR workflow development, learning and development, and benefits administration.
Prior to her current role, Michelle held HR leadership positions for various government contractor and commercial organizations. While at these organizations, Michelle honed her skills and has tailored them towards supporting federal government contractors. She has a strong passion for working with people, and partners with senior management in building their employer brand, while supporting front-line managers with developing their teams.
Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Management from University of Maryland University College. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and Northern Virginia Society for Human Resource Management (NOVA SHRM). Michelle is the blogger behind Pocketful of Chelles, a personal blog inspiring you to discover your own new adventure that will make you smile - because there is more to life than the nine-to-five grind. You can connect with Michelle on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter at @MKohlHR.
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