Hrd 300-2 Interview Assignment

James Watson (0507969)
Instructor: Instructor A. Lovering
HRD 300-2, Interview Assignment

Human Resources 360o: The Person, Profession, and Perspective.
Focused, determined, intellectually curious, and hard-working are just a few terms to describe the gentleman I had the pleasure of interviewing. Mr. Ray Harrell is a seasoned HR/HRD professional with a plethora of work experience and knowledge in the arenas of human resource management and human resource development. A combination of education and practical skill has allowed Ray to climb the HR ladder and view the profession in his unique way. When I asked him where he was from, he jokingly started his response with “From a land far, far away,” as if he was going to share a fairytale.
Harrell to tell me about the things that motivate him to do his work. He explained that he felt inspired whenever someone would approach him about employment or labor issues. He said, “I’m surprised by the fact that people can come to me with questions about HR and I can give them solid answers.” According to Ray, the HR department within his current place of employment is the engine behind the company. He proudly views himself as a significant part of that engine. “I play a big role in how the company operates,” he exclaimed. Despite the slightly arrogant tone of his voice as he boasted about the HR department, when I asked him for his opinion on how the employees felt about the overall efforts of the HR department, he hesitated before he answered. “Nobody likes HR. HR is like getting bad PR. Nobody recognizes all the good we do for the company, but as soon as someone is disciplined or there is a policy change, we suddenly become the big, bad monster in the room.” Ray went on to explain how he felt that HR departments are summoned to do all the “dirty work”. Announcing policy changes and communicating wage changes are clear examples to why Mr. Harrell feels like HR professionals are labeled bearers of bad
Harrell about his take on the future of HR. I wanted to know if he foresaw any major game changers ahead. “Most companies are doing self-serve HR these days. While there will always be a need for someone to represent HR, the days of an HR department having multiple levels are gone.” My initial reaction to Mr. Harrell’s comment was one of slight melancholy. I asked myself, “Am I going down the right career path?” Ray continued to state his concerns about the future of HR. “Employees will do their own benefits online with a third-party benefits administrator, and payroll is often being shifted to the accounting department,” said Mr. Harrell. He then went on to suggest, for those like me who are soon to enter the HR profession, to seek first an HR assistant position. He highly recommends that new HR professionals quickly grasp the duties of the position and prove themselves worthy of promotion. Ray said, “In fact, as an assistant, try to take on responsibilities of a generalist. Ask your manager to allow you to do the work.” Mr. Harrell believes that through this, an individual can have the experience he or she needs to move to other companies. “Ultimately, even if you’re not receiving pay, the experience is worth more than the salary,” said Ray. I found his outlook on the future and his advice to be both valuable and