I have spent the last 11 years as an unemployed human
resources professional. Or at least one
person I encountered years ago would think that. Ever have a conversation that stays in your
mind forever? The conversation that incited
me to write this blog post was one of those.
It was early in 2003.
I had been in business for over a year and a half at that time. Although I had a couple of decades of human
resources experience behind me, including management, I was still getting my
feet wet as a consultant. I met with the
HR Manager of a local plastics manufacturing company. We were sitting in his office, having a
conversation about my background. I was extolling my own virtues by describing
my extensive background in HR, including several years in manufacturing. I told
him I had my PHR certification, and my Masters Certificate from Cornell, as
well as a Bachelor’s degree which I had just recently obtained. You see, I was pretty proud of my
accomplishments, and very proud that I had started my own business and was paying
the bills with that income!
Back to Mr. HR Manager, aka Mr. Rude. He looked straight at me and said “A HR
Consultant is nothing more than an unemployed human resources person.” I am thinking…”did I just hear what I thought
I heard”? Yup, I did. However, I continued to be proud of myself
and didn’t skip a beat. I continued on
with our conversation, left, and never looked back.
So what is the lesson to be learned from this? Go ahead and let yourself be put down, but be
the professional you know you can be and rise above the rude and insensitive
people you will encounter on life’s path.
My human resources consulting business has, for the last 11
years, and I hope for the next 11 years, let me take some pretty exciting
paths. It is a heady feeling to know I
am making a difference in the world and helping people run their business.
More to come in future blogs about the myriad of things I encounter. So many HR people could write a book, and I
am one of them. My future blogs will
also include useful human resources information, including compliance related
data.
Until next time.... Kathy Barany, Strategic Management Solutions. www.sms-hr.com
