Career Path of an HR Manager at a Non-Profit Group Home
Sharon's career path began with a music scholarship for piano performance and pedagogy, recognizing "very quickly that that was more of a hobby", which eventually led to the insurance space, and discovering a passion for benefits administration. This interest in benefits then transitioned into human resources and recruiting, feeling that "HR is always changing, always growing," prompting the pursuit of further education to supplement their music-focused bachelor's degree.
Career Change, Human Resources, Recruiting, Benefits Administration, Higher Education
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sharon Mooney
HR Manager
Non-Profit Group Home Housing
Baylor University
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey Master of Science - MS, Human Resources Management and Services
Fine Arts, Music
Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Human Resources (HR)
Disabled, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Started in a different field (music) and transitioned to HR, highlighting the importance of exploring different interests and career paths.
2. Found a passion for the benefits aspect of insurance, which led to a career in Human Resources, demonstrating how specific interests can guide career choices.
3. Recognized the need for further education to excel in HR, leading to pursuing higher-level education, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and development in a dynamic field.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Do you have any internships or jobs you had before your current role?
I started in a very different career field than I currently am. I began in music, which came about because I went to a private university in Texas, where I'm originally from.
That university offered me a music scholarship alongside an academic scholarship. This enabled me to earn my bachelor's degree in music, specifically piano performance and pedagogy.
Originally, I wanted a career in music, as I loved it from an early age. However, I quickly discovered that it was more of a hobby than a profession I wanted to pursue. Through a series of events, I ended up in the insurance field.
In that experience, I combined my love for administrative functions with insurance. What I truly enjoyed about insurance was the benefit aspect and providing benefits to people.
This led me to human resources, where I found my home and true happiness performing HR functions. I also love recruiting, which really fulfills me.
This is a roundabout way of how I transitioned from music to the HR space. I realized HR is always changing and growing. I felt I needed more education, especially since my bachelor's didn't equip me for my role as an HR manager and administrator. That's what spurred me to pursue further education with ASU.