Niamh Masterton APHRNZ
What led you to a career in HR/ the position that you are in currently?
After graduating university with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Global Studies, I still didn't have the clearest idea of what I wanted to do. I definitely knew I was passionate about people, and wanted to make an impact wherever it was that I decided to work. I was then lucky enough to join the team at 2degrees in their Graduate Programme which allowed me to rotate around different areas of the business working in various roles. As someone early in their career, this was incredibly valuable as I was able to dip my toe into a variety of things and discover what the right fit for me was. When I landed in the HR team, I knew I had hit the jackpot. Not only were the people and culture of the team incredible, but I realised HR felt like a natural fit for what I loved to do every day - build relationships with people.
I've now been working in the People team as a People Hub Coordinator for about 18 months and have absolutely found my passion! This role gives me the opportunity to support employees and leaders in meaningful ways, and feel like I'm making a tangible impact on the employee experience. My path into HR was definitely not a linear one but one that I feel really grateful to have found!
What do you love about working in HR?
I love the variety and the human connection. As many in HR would know, no two days are the same and every day brings new challenges and opportunities to learn.
What is an achievement so far in your career that you are proud of?
Something I’m particularly proud of is contributing to the development and refinement of our People AI chatbot we've recently introduced. It's been such a great tool to help streamline access to HR information, promote employee self-service and use technology in an impactful way.
What are your thoughts on the Accredited Professional Member process?
I found the process to be such a great opportunity for reflection. Quite often we're go-go-go in HR so it was really nice to take the time to reflect on my experience, what I've learnt and how I measure against industry benchmarks. It’s a really rewarding process and super clear and easy to complete so would highly recommend any HR professionals who are thinking about doing it, to do it!
Do you plan to now work towards becoming a Chartered Member?
I've still got plenty of learning to do and would love to spend some more time developing my career and getting more HR generalist experience, but I am definitely keen to become a Chartered Member eventually!
What are your next steps in terms of your career?
I'm continuing to strengthen my expertise as an HR generalist and want to keep on taking opportunities that allow me to develop and learn. I'm really keen to grow my skills in employment relations, workforce planning and integrating technology into the HR space so I have a really wide breadth of knowledge and in the long term, can take on a strategic and advisory role in the HR landscape.