As a military veteran, Reggie faced challenges and a culture shift when he switched to a civilian HR career. Earning an HRCI certification gave him the confidence and knowledge to succeed.
What’s new in your HR career? Any professional achievements? I recently obtained my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt & aPHR certificate.
How did HRCI certification help you and/or inspire you? While serving, I constantly sought out schools and other training to make me better at my job. I now see that military HR focuses only on their way of doing business and is not really concerned with the “outside world.” My transition from a military personnelist to civilian-based HR has revealed numerous culture shifts. However, I am still enjoying the continued growth.
What is the greatest benefit of HRCI certification? Obtaining my first HR certification makes me more confident in my existing knowledge and my potential to learn more. I look forward to completing the next course and obtaining my PHR certificate.
What advice would you give to future HRCI certification holders? Don’t be intimidated by the term “certification” or the study time required to complete the course. If you have the desire and determination to improve your skills and knowledge, then the only thing that can stop you is you.
Who or what has had the biggest impact on your HR career? My co-workers who have succeeded in achieving their professional goals. While money is always a factor, self-satisfaction is my driving force for seeking more career-enhancing opportunities.
What are your future goals? I plan to continue my career and personal development to make myself more marketable and gain promotions while supporting my customers with the knowledge and skills I acquire.
What HR initiative at your organization are you most proud of? The consolidated effort of building tools and providing information to aid others in performing their duties. I still have HR professionals from my previous organizations tell me that tools and resources that I created are still in use and shared to make their day-to-day work easier.
What does the future hold for HR? I believe as technology continues to evolve, HR will allow faster and more efficient services in more ways. Mobile devices and portable computers will allow service and support to be available from almost anywhere.
Reggie currently works an HR Systems Functional Lead for the National Guard Bureau.
Due to the funding provided by the Military Human Resources, Human Capital & Resources Management Career Field, the student was able to pursue their aPHR credential.