Becky Mossman, HR director, HireRight:
1. You learn as you go it’s all about relationships. Whereas earlier on in HR it’s about process and doing what everyone’s asking you to do, relationship building becomes increasingly key.
2. Sometimes taking a sideways move to learn more and in a different way is crucial. Developing your career is not always about upwards, it’s about developing yourself.
3. You need to tailor what you learn in HR to the business, and learn about the business first rather than just giving it an HR solution you’ve found somewhere else.
Amanda Essex, head of EMEA relations, BNY Mellon:
1. Ask for what you want; people can’t read your mind. When I finished my postgrad I very conceitedly said to my mentor ‘you need to give me a job’. And she did.
2. Reflect on and learn from opportunities. I once went on training and they made you write a journal on what went well and not so well. I kept that up for a long time, and now I do it internally.
3. Lead from where you are. It doesn’t matter where you are in the organisation, you have an impact – on your peers, team and seniors.
Catherine Taylor, group people director, Marston's:
1. Always start with the business, as a business person. Look through the lens of the business.
2. Know your function. I’ve done payroll, shared services, job grading, been a pensions trustee, as well as engagement and leadership. Breadth gives more credibility and pays dividends.
3. Invest in yourself. If you invest in yourself and enable yourself to be the best you can be, you can give far more to your role and the people you work with.
