Case studies : Human resources business partner: Maria

Maria graduated with a degree in politics and sociology and currently works as a human resources business partner for a large university in the South of England. She has an MSc in Human Resources Management and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

After completing my degree in politics and sociology I worked for a number of years in London in a human resources (HR) role. Having a keen interest in sailing, I decided to move to the south coast and relocated to a new job in Southampton. From there, I moved to my current job in a large university, working as an HR business partner.

My department comprises around 30 people and has a responsibility for all HR issues within the organisation, including recruitment, staff training, reward, role analysis and health and safety.

My role involves providing an advisory service to heads of department, heads of faculty and staff in central university services. I advise on issues such as strategy, cost management, grievance and disciplinary matters and restructuring, with a lot of emphasis on planning for future contingencies.

Much of my work is carried out by email and telephone but I also attend a variety of committee meetings, negotiate with trade union representatives and write policies and procedures.

Through my current employer I have been able to gain Membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and have recently completed an MSc in HR Management. My dissertation focused upon perceptions and manifestations of stress in the workplace.

The variety of work involved in my role means that there is not really a typical day, which can be challenging at times. You really need to like working with people to enjoy HR work and must be prepared to acquire and use a whole range of interpersonal skills, including negotiation, mediation and influencing. It is particularly important to listen and to be prepared to learn from others.

My advice to other students and graduates interested in a career in HR is to do your research and be persistent when applying for roles. Once in a role, it is important to move around to gain experience.