Director Of Human Resources 

How did you get your current job?
Newspaper

What was the application process?
Submitted resume and cover letter via fax

Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
I had 3 interviews. One was with the owner, one with the Director of Finance and a final interview with the owner.

If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I have the benefit of being certified in Foodservice Management and Human Resources so I was selected based on my extensive human resources background as well as expertise in the restaurant environment. A large number of my skill sets are specific to the restaurant industry, although I can easily adapt to any environment.

Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes and no. I knew I was the first human resources employee hired for this company. What they didn’t tell me was that I needed to scramble and put them into compliance for the previous 10 years.

Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
There is training for human resources. Oftentimes, I see individuals given the position without the formal training and they are set up to fail. Constant development is necessary to maintain qualifications for this job. Certification is key.

Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Absolutely! My working experience in the restaurant industry was essential to my current role. Also, my associates degree taught me where to locate any type of information needed to reinforce liability exposure.

If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
I had the opportunity to work in a professional employer organization with 650 clients and 40,000 employees. I had the fast track of all sorts of employment issues, law, regulations and negotiations.

If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
You would have to begin at an entry level position. To obtain a position like mine, you will need an extensive background in all arenas of employment law and you are better off with certification.

What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Nothing is black and white. You need negotiating skills, able to use logic to process a situation, excellent recall on laws and regulation, excellent listening skills

Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
No necessarily. I know peers who have Master’s degrees but cannot process the information they learned

What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
It can be a very rewarding job, but also somewhat of a lonely job. You must distance yourself socially from all employees, including corporate staff in order to remain objective.