Around the world people are marking International Women’s Day. We are joining them by celebrating the contributions and achievements of women in our department.
Melanie Moser
Staffing Administrator
Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources
How did you get into your current role?
I got into my current role as Staffing Administrator after spending two years at a fashion retailer in their international HR team, but with no higher education experience besides from my own time at university. Before that I worked in the tourism industry for a tour operator, which was good fun but quite intense and stressful.
What are you currently working on?
In our HR roles, we often can’t say what we’re working on in detail because it contains personal or confidential information, but the biggest part of my work is focused on recruitment and a few other projects.
What work achievements are you most proud of?
My proudest achievement is not really a work-related task. I studied for my HR degree with the Open University while working full-time and graduated last year with a postgraduate diploma in HR Management, becoming an Associate Member of the CIPD. While that accomplishment in itself is amazing, I’m really proud of the person I have become through that. I’ve learnt to prioritise, set boundaries, and feel confident in saying no, but also to celebrate every win.
What advice would you give to other women working at a university in a similar role?
My advice to women working in a similar role as mine in a university is listen to the people around you. Join HR networks, communities of practice, ask senior or junior members of your team for their experiences, you can learn from anyone. And definitely don’t listen to the people humblebragging on LinkedIn! Another advice I would give to those disheartened by the HR world and the bad reputation we sometimes get is to question everything. In this female-dominated field, I know too many HR professionals who don’t agree with management choices and company culture but don’t feel empowered enough to make any changes or speak up, often because they don’t feel part of the ‘boys’ club’ at the top. We’re not always able to influence policies if we are in junior positions, but if you feel you can speak up, call them out on it.