Sarah Tong CMHRNZ
What led you to a career in HR/ the position that you are in currently?
It’s always my passion to help people with my HR expertise. Being a HR Consultant enables me to help SME business owners to establish or improve their HR management system and leadership skills which drives better business results. It’s indeed rewarding and fulfilling to see my contribution can be a part of other’s success.
What do you love about working in HR?
Regardless of industry differences, HR can work anywhere. Learning different business knowledge and interacting with all sorts of peoples is an enjoyable and exciting experience itself.
People management skill itself is an art, being a master of it takes lifelong learning and application, and the best platform of becoming such artist is working in HR.
Are there any specific highlights of your career that you wish to share?
While working in Fortune 500 companies such as AMD, Infineon (spin-off of Siemens) and Beckton & Dickinson, I have been exposed to worldwide HR best practices and state-of-art HR technologies. Besides, I was also trained to be an internal leadership and management coach, strategic business partner and culture advocate who leads HR efforts nationwide. I did not realize such experiences are precious assets lifelong until I became an HR Consultant in Auckland. 😊
What are your thoughts on Chartered Membership? How do you feel about being a Chartered Member?
It’s a qualification and also a responsibility. Feel more confident about my HR knowledge and skills and it can be unitized to help more people. Feel also very happy to bring more diversity to the HRNZ family.
What motivated you to work towards becoming a Chartered Member?
One hand is to test my HR knowledge and experience in relevant with NZ practices, another hand to have the qualification of helping in coaching rising HR stars.
What are your next steps in terms of your career now that you are a Chartered Member?
Continue being a HR coach more confidently for people who needs my help. Hopefully can also contribute more in a wider HR community in NZ in any possible way.