It’s the People! The personal gratification of helping others in HR

How did you find your internship?

The Kempinski Corporate Office in Geneva informed one of our career coaches that they were looking for an HR Trainee with several requirements, which were communicated to the students via email. I responded, and although I had no written response, I got the chance to meet and make an impression on some Kempinski representatives at the International Recruitment Fair held in November 2021. The next thing I knew, I was traveling to several hotel schools in March 2022 with the Kempinski recruiting team as an HIM alumni and HR trainee.

Did you feel well prepared for your internships, and do you feel well prepared to be working now? How so?

I never felt well prepared for back office positions in Switzerland, due to my basic level of French, but the Kempinski position only required English. I felt confident that regardless of my lack of back office experience, I had the right attitude and motivation, and reflected the same values as Kempinski to be considered for the position. Working now as an HR Trainee, every skill I’ve acquired is something I've learned throughout these past five months. Every day is a learning experience – and a positive mindset gets me through it.

What is your favorite thing about the position?

It has given me so much purpose. There is meaning in this position and so much meaning in HR in general. I get to be creative and add value to the team. As an HR Trainee, I handle the HR E-Newsletters, the Kempinski jobs webpage and its 'employee stories', as well as the @kempinski.careers Instagram account. In addition, I participate in recruitment fairs and screenings, lead the engagement committee for the Geneva corporate office, and support other HR areas where needed. My favorite thing about all of my responsibilities is that it fosters both personal and professional growth in me – Passion & Purpose.

What are your take aways from the internship experience?

It is so personally gratifying! Having work on my mind 24/7 – thinking about work, dreaming about work, talking about work – all is so gratifying. I want to feel grateful for this experience at the end of every day and that's all I want. Of course, more practically speaking, this experience makes me want to develop and grow further within the HR department, specifically within Kempinski, and I believe I will get the chance to do so.

In what ways did the HR specialization prepare you for your internship and current position?

The HR specialization helped me learn the structure of an HR department as well as theoretical knowledge of procedures and best practices in the various areas under HR. During my internship, the specialization came alive! I get to live the daily functions and procedures within the HR department. So many things helped me link back to the lessons as well as the activities we did in class. For example, if a co-worker is happy and highly engaged in their work, I feel well prepared by the specialization to automatically try to determine the causes of that employee’s satisfaction. The theoretical knowledge supported my hands-on experience when I started the internship.

Also, students who complete the specialization are well prepared to take an exam that awards you an internationally recognized certificate in HR Management. The aPHRi certificate helps students, recent HR graduates, and new HR professionals like me make a smoother, more productive transition into the HR field.

What is something you hope to develop or to learn more about?

I hope to learn more about the different fields in HR. The corporate office environment is something I’ve enjoyed being in for the past six months compared to more operational roles. So I hope to dig deeper into specific parts of HR – more specifically in training and development, as well as organizational psychology. I believe that regardless of infrastructure and economy, the hospitality and tourism industry gives a lot of potential to countries with rich cultures. It makes me keen on being part of a generation that keeps hospitality alive. And in countries like this, I believe it's not all the monetary, high-tech assets you implement that keep it alive. It’s the people! I want to be part of learning more about prioritizing our people and developing ways to take care of them.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself still adding value to the most important asset we have as Kempinski – our people from all the properties across the world. We are 125 years old this year and I see myself as still part of the growth when in five years we celebrate our 130 years. I see myself making a positive impact on our people’s career growth and paths.