Can you tell us about your career journey?

Following my MA in HRM at Manchester Metropolitan University I was accepted onto the Graduate programme at Balfour Beatty Construction.  I then spent several years in operational HR roles including retail, hospitality and HR consultancy, before returning to academia to study for my Doctorate in Work and Employment at Leeds University Business School. I am now a Senior Lecturer in HRM at  Manchester Met, and I also act as a National Examiner Marker/Moderator for the CIPD.

Tell us about your current role at Manchester Met

I am Senior Lecturer in HRM with experience teaching a range of units on the undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education (MBA degree apprenticeship) programmes. I am a core member of Decent Work and Productivity, one of our university centres for research and knowledge exchange, and I am currently leading research studies on solo-living homeworking staff, complex fertility journeys and employment and perinatal mental health in policing.  I am also joint Decent Work and Productivity Early Career Researcher rep. 

How did your degree prepare you for your current role?

My first degree was in English Literature and this gave me a good grounding in critical thinking and academic writing. It was my Masters degree in HRM that really equipped me with the specialist knowledge, skills and passion I went on to need for my career – both in operational HRM and in academia. I developed key skills including self-awareness, critical reflective practice, ethics and professionalism and research methodologies. I also made some brilliant connections, including two life-long mentors, who have helped me source opportunities for growth and identify the sort of academic I want to be.

What are your greatest achievements so far? 

Professionally, one of my greatest achievements is transitioning into academia and learning two brand new skills sets around teaching and assessment and research.  Associated achievements here have been gaining my PhD, getting my work published in high-profile academic journals and other publications, seeing former students achieve great things and running a Leverhulme Trust funded research project on a topic that I am passionate about.  Personally, probably tackling a range of mental health challenges and never giving up. I cannot express enough gratitude to Manchester Met for enabling me to achieve good things professionally, but equally protecting and supporting me when I have been unwell.

What advice would you give to students who aspire to a career in HRM? 

Seek opportunities to keep learning – about yourself, about the sort of jobs that are out there, about the skills needed, about the people around you. Be clear on your own personal values as a professional, and the code of your professional body (CIPD or equivalent). Be critical – about yourself, your role, your company, your industry, and always try to think if things could be done better. Learn, and speak, the language of business. 

What does diversity in HRM mean to you? 

As a lecturer in HRM, and a researcher in wellbeing and the work-life interface, I believe that diversity should be at the heart of all HRM activities.  When we design anything, it needs to be welcoming and inclusive of differences in identity, background, and experience. Diversity allows for a range of perspectives and creativity, and creates a safe space for all to flourish.  The HRM profession itself needs to be diverse.