Lynne Gibbons CMHRNZ

What led you to a career in HR and the position that you are in currently?  

After my 3 sons had all started at school I reviewed my career goals and decided to study organisational psychology. That led me to a role in Human Resources where I initially thought I could be an advocate for employees.  As my skills and experience developed I have found that there are ways to do that and bring about change that supports the organisations goals too.  

What do you enjoy about working in HR?  

No two days are the same. I can be working on delivering a People Strategy one day, negotiating terms of a CEA the next and coaching managers to improve capability the next. It is varied and extremely rewarding. 

Are there any specific highlights of your career that you wish to share?  

Definitely achieving this Chartered membership. I had thought about doing this for a few years and feel really proud that I have been recognised by the sector for my knowledge and skills. 

What career advice would you give to someone early on in their career in HR?  

Get as much exposure to the wide variety of aspects of HR as you can. This will help you decide if you want to specialise or to identify what you enjoy doing and what your naturally good at. 

Please describe your journey towards becoming a Chartered Fellow. How was the experience?  

I started working on my application in January. It took a while to consolidate all my experience into a CV that evidenced the key competencies and record the  PD hours. I eventually put my application in in May. I enjoyed meeting the assessor’s online for my interview and was wrapped when I learnt I had been successful. 

What are the next steps in terms of your career now that you are a Chartered Fellow?  

I would love to become an assessor myself to support future applicants in their process. I would like to get more involved in my local branch and eventually become an HRNZ mentor.