We are delighted to hear from University of Edinburgh alumnus, Susan Stark, Human Resources (HR) Associate Director, P&G on her career in Human Resources.
Susan’s Journey into Human Resources
Susan graduated with an MBA and MSc Research Methods (Economic, Social and Research Council Scholarship) from the University of Edinburgh in 1998.
Susan knew from her undergraduate days that she ultimately wished to work in Human Resources but wanted to ensure that she joined an organisation where HR was strategic and where she could continually learn and grow, both from the organisation and colleagues. She did a lot of research on potential employers, helped by the fact that she was at the time undertaking a PhD on the changing nature of graduate recruitment in the UK. It was at this point that she met an HR Director within P&G who inspired her to apply and ultimately join the company.
When did you join P&G and what are your favourite areas of HR?
I joined P&G in 1998 and I have worked across all Business Units as an HR Business Partner at both a Country, Regional and Global level. I am an HR generalist, with particular interest in Culture; Organisation Design, Well Being, Diversity and Inclusion and Executive Coaching.
What are your tips for improving your chances of breaking into the sector?
I believe that it is important to get hands on business experience prior to starting a role in HR, as you often partner and advise senior leaders from Day 1 on how to best engage and manage people. I did this by taking a gap year before starting university to work in a finance company, as well as through my part-time and summer jobs throughout my undergraduate degree. I then honed these skills during my two year Kingfisher Retail experience where I was Store Manager, and then Regional Sales and Marketing Manager for Kingfisher from 1994-1996. This provided me with a great base upon which to understand all elements of running a business, as well as building strong people management skills.
What skills are important and are there any new skills needed for the future?
The most important skills needed for my role are leadership, envisioning, strategic thinking, collaboration, complex problem solving and empathy. With the 4th Industrial Revolution upon us, we will need to have the ability to meet the shifting needs of society and business. I believe that human core skills will become even more important, as will digital literacy and a growth mind-set.
Want to hear more?
I am a visiting lecturer at Edinburgh University for both the MSc Human Resources Management and the BA (Hons) HRM course on Culture and Well Being. I will lecture on both of these courses this year on the 12th and 13th November and hope to see many of you there!
P&G HR Managers are also on campus on 30th October giving an insight into HR careers and tips on making applications. Check out MyCareerHub for details – no booking required.
P&G are also running a skills session on resilience, one of the key skills required in HR on the evening of 30th October – book your place via MyCareerHub.
Read more about graduate opportunities with P&G here:
