We Are The Future Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

May 23, 2012

This is where Im supposed to provide words of inspiration for the readers. I wont, because I dont want this to be about my words. This e-book, and everything associated with it, is about others using their words to define what they believe intheir hopes, dreams, and expectations. Much like college itself, I just provided the opportunity and platform. These graduating students are the ones doing the heavy lifting in expressing themselves, in getting things done, all in spite of the monumental obstacles they faced and yet may encounter. As a colleague of mine recently stated, "Class of 2012, you deserve better!" So Im going to get out the way. But before I do I just want to thank all the participants once again for volunteering to be a part of this. I sincerely hope that you find the success youre looking for.

Congratulations, Class of 2012!

Best regards, Victorio Milian

We Are The Future Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

As a General Manager at Cinnabon I performed most of the HR tasks for my location. My responsibilities included: scheduling requirements, hiring and terminating associates, human resource management and the training and development of staff, creating, meeting and exceeding sales and labor goals, and forecasting labor needs. As well as handling any and all customer and staff concerns. I found that I had a passion for HR however, without a degree I could not move up in the career ladder to further pursue the HR position.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

Teresa Kiley.
What school did you attend?

University of Texas at San Antonio.

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management.

Having the hands on work experience is extremely important however, the knowledge and theory obtained from an education is invaluable. A degree in human resources can provide me with the background I need to begin a career and gain more experience to help me reach my goals. With several associates degrees ranging from business management to accounting and marketing and my future bachelors degree in human resources along with the experience I will have from employment in an organization I will have adequate knowledge and experience to pursue any goal I set for myself. A successful career in HR is my ultimate goal and my lifelong passion that is giving me the determination to educate myself as I go through life.
What makes you nervous about the future?

Im most nervous about that first step to take. How do I get my foot in the door?
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

I look forward to putting my degree to work. I spent four years soaking up all the knowledge I could, reading every article, book, or HR journal I could to better prepare myself for this moment and I am ready to put it all into action.
Final thoughts?

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We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

I see myself as a leader and motivational speaker. I believe that I have abilities to direct teams and set standards for people to follow that will benefit the end result and make for a much more pleasurable experience. I have seen many business managers fail at what they do, and it has motivated me to want to do things the right way. I see teams fail and see ways to fix the problems, and I want to be able to have the responsibility, trust and opportunity to fix them. I also enjoy this field more than others I have reviewed.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

Alyssa Wright.

I plan to go into management, and in the future most likely ownership. I want people to respect and acknowledge my actions and opinions and generally look to me for advice when needed and not be afraid to ask like many employees are afraid to talk to their managers. I guess I will see where my career takes me!
What makes you nervous about the future?

What school did you attend?

University of Illinois at Springfield.

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

What makes me nervous about the future is how versatile one must be for various jobs and the diverse knowledge needed for jobs. Jobs are becoming increasingly more weighted in the sense that one person is now responsible for more areas of a job whereas in the past each area may have been assigned its own person, or multiple people. One person is expected to "do it all and know it all" so to speak. In addition, the amount of jobs available that even I am not aware about. For instance, until this semester I had no idea HR jobs even existed. I have never worked in a company with a HR department.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

Business Administration and Management degrees.

A lot of things actually, but most of all getting a well-paying job, buying a house, getting married, and starting a family. I have been looking forward to these things my entire life (cheesy I know).
Final thoughts?

Learn as much as you can. I am studying for two majors and two minors, planning on two internships (and already in a job that will give me business experience) and plan to go to grad school within a few years of graduation. Things are always changing, especially with today's world, and new jobs are always becoming available. There is so much more to learn, it makes me nervous to think about how much I still don't know. Also, deal with the stress as best as you can, I know it is tough, but it will all pay off in the end. Use your resources; they are your best asset. Be open to advice and opinions. I'm not sure who will read this, but if I could have been told a few things upon graduating high school, I would have liked to hear these.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

Enjoyed and was interested (in HR) after an internship I had in Human Resources during my junior year of college. I loved the culture at the company and felt it was a great place to work as I start my career.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

Chris Seidl.

I plan to work my way up through the company by using my liberal arts education which allows me to have learned from all aspects of the educational studies, not just HR.
What makes you nervous about the future?

What school did you attend?

The economy and the way the USA is headed in its current direction.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI.

Being a part of company where I can contribute on a daily basis to its success..
Final thoughts?

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

Love what you do.

Bachelor of Business Administration.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

The amount you could do with it and loved the classes

How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

It gave me a great starting point to know what I like and what I want to learn more about.
What makes you nervous about the future?

I don't have the real world experience very long in the field I have my degree.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

Brittany Draxler.

Starting a new job.

What school did you attend?

St. Norbert College.

Final thoughts?

Take as many classes as possible; the more you learn the better and when you take classes you like you really learn more about what you want to do.

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

Bachelor of Business Administration.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

I wanted to become the head of a company in which my ideas would contribute to helping others.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

I will use this degree to take my next step up the ladder toward a Masters program.

Duran Simmons.

What makes you nervous about the future?

Not being successful in my field is what makes me fairly nervous.

What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

What school did you attend?

University of Illinois at Springfield.

Making the right career moves in order to start a family.

Final thoughts?

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

My advice to anyone who is attending college is this: putting in the extra effort towards any of your classes, along with studying, will get you the grades that will make your parents proud. Don't give up; the end of the road is closer than you think.

Bachelor of Business Adminstration.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

I took a class on Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining and decided to take a few more classes in Human Resources because the Labor Relations class really interested me. After taking another class on Human Resources, I fell in love with the subject and knew it was something I wanted to pursue.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

Brittany O'Mahoney.

After having a Human Resources internship for a year and taking numerous classes on Human Resource Management, I hope to find a position that will allow me to learn even more about the field and hopefully become a Director of Human Resources for a large firm.
What makes you nervous about the future?

What school did you attend?

St. Norbert College.

One area that I am nervous about is the ever-changing Healthcare programs in the U.S.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

Gaining extensive experience in the field of HR and being able to use the knowledge I have gained in college.
Final thoughts?

Bachelor's in Business Administration with a Concentration in Human Resource Management.

I am thankful to have an internship in HR with a great mentor that is able to provide great advice and assist with personal and professional development. I definitely recommend for everyone to get a mentor to guide you through and provide feedback for longevity in your future.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

It covers a wide array of business choices, and my interest has always been business but maybe not clear direction.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

I am currently an Area Manager for Walmart Transportation and my career goals at this time are to become the General Transportation Manager.
What makes you nervous about the future?

Todd Stoltey.

What school did you attend?

I think with the uncertainty in the economy and the job market, we should all be somewhat nervous. I am lucky to work for the biggest retailer in the world but even with Walmart, no position is guaranteed.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

University of Illinois Springfield.

Being able to use the knowledge I have gained throughout my studies and put them to use in my current and future positions.
What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?
Final thoughts?

Bachelors of Business Administration.

I waited a long time to go back to school to get my degree, but I want to say that I think the time and effort spent obtaining my degree will be well worth it. You should never stop learning and you should always set high expectations for yourself. Keep reaching for those goals you have in the back of your head and dont let them get away from you.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

There are many opportunities in this field, and I found one that has interested by taking certain classes. I have found that I am very interested in HR and I am learning something new every day whether it be HR or business related.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

Vanessa Ruff.
What school did you attend?

I want to do something with HR. I love the aspect of learning about people and understanding how they work. I want to incorporate what I know to make them become better employees. Not only do I want to do this for the employees, but I want to help the company reach their goals as a whole..
What makes you nervous about the future?

University of Illinois at Springfield.

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

That I won't be successful in my chosen career path. I want to hopefully run my own international HR firm, but I don't know where to start. I feel the uncertainty of my goals will prevent me from succeeding.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

Business Administration and Management.

Starting my life, and beginning a new chapter. I want to use my knowledge to help people and better myself as a person.
Final thoughts?

We have thoughts in our minds that make us nervous about the future, but God already knows our story and where we are going.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

Career Development and professional accreditation.

How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

To develop my career within Human Resources. If I'm honest I felt it was a qualification I needed to have in order to be considered for more senior HR roles.
What makes you nervous about the future?

Lorna Leeson.

What school did you attend?

University of Bedfordshire.

The job market doesn't make me nervous. The insular nature of the HR industry makes me nervous. We demand a very specific route through their career from the people in HR (admin-advisor-manager-BP) and then wonder why HR is perceived as an administrative function that doesn't understand the business. As someone who had 5 years business experience before working in HR I've experienced this expectation. It will limit HR's ability to be taken seriously if we don't address it.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

No longer having to study full time and work full time!

Final thoughts?

MSc Human Resource Management.

I hope that my experience is more typical of HR graduates of the future. The more business experience that future HR professionals have, the better chance we will have of adding diversity and gravitas to our profession. I came to HR as a career 7 years after graduating and studied as a mature student but I believe it's made me a more rounded HR professional.

We Are The Future - Thoughts from the HR Graduating Class of 2012

What is your name?

Why did you choose this particular degree?

The first thought that came to my mind when I saw the degree name was the possibility of taking human resource management from the old "pile of job descriptions and payroll trouble" on the desk perspective to a more strategic, long-term, high-impact position. Also, working in a HR environment became my choice because it reunited many of my passions and skills: critical thinking, empathy, communication, communication, leadership, development, individual and group management and empowerment - and gives me the opportunity to turn them into something practical.
How do you plan on using this degree to further your goals?

Maria Luciana Blaha.

I plan to top this degree up with a Masters degree in Managing People, Knowledge and Change and perhaps a PhD in the future in order to be a part in the development of this industry, as it adapts to a new economic, political and social context. I believe the Recession and the environmental challenges we are facing at the moment will trigger a massive shift in the way we perceive our work environment, the consequences of our actions and ourselves. I want to be a part of it through helping people understand and manage these changes wisely.
What makes you nervous about the future?

What school did you attend?

University of Worcester Business School.

What degree are you obtaining when you graduate?

BA (Hons) Business, Leadership & Human Resource Management.

When it comes to my own personal future, I am concerned about finding a job, but I am more concerned about the possibility to develop once in that position. What would pain me most about the future would be an employer cutting off my wings, or even worse, the job market cutting my wings as a young performer.
What are you looking forward to the most, post graduation?

Launching an HRD initiative and then sustaining it successfully in the company I will be working for.
Final thoughts?

Even though I still have to do my final year as I am currently doing a placement, to those who follow I would say: become aware of what is going on at a larger level and find your part in it. Always try to be clear and informed, and don't let anything bring you down.

www.victoriomilian.com