Roger Pattison, HR – Training & Management Development Consultant for Roger Pattison & Associates, shares his experiences of working in HR to date.
What’s your current job role?
HR – Training & Management Development Consultant for the last 7 years.
What did you do before this job?
HR Manager for a TEC
Describe your route into HR?
Ten years as an industrial electronics trainer, then a Technical Support Manager to other trainers writing support material, then an Operations Manager, gained a Diploma in Training Management and became a Staff Development Manager, then an HR Manager in a TEC, gained a Masters in HRD then went freelance.
Did you always want to work in HR?
I did not know it at the time, however, when I became a trainer at 27 I knew what I wanted to do and later with spells in management which taught me a lot – I really wanted to get back to training and HR.
What would you say has been the most significant event in your career to date?
Gaining the Masters in HRD, which confirmed some of the things that I knew and taught me many new ideas and gave me the confidence to question and reflect before committing to an action. Writing a training pack for Fenman was also very important as it was tough to do.
How do you think the role of HR has changed since you began your HR career?
Much wider range of skills and knowledge now required and at last HR people are realising that they have a senior strategic role to play and that we can and should be part of the business planning cycle especially if people are the only asset that makes the difference in the long run.
What single thing would improve your working life?
Slight cop out here. I would have got into management development much earlier and probably have gone independent sooner as a result.
What’s your favourite part of the HR Zone site?
I like the reminders of new changes to the law, but I really value the debate and added comments from the Any Answers. I often find that the multi-facetted views make you thinks things through that much more thoroughly.
Have you made contact with any other members?
Not really, however, I recognise names from time to time from other web posting boards.
Do you have any advice for those looking to embark on a career in HR?
You have to like people, warts and all and you have to want to solve people problems. Also you have to be on the other persons agenda and be able to listen really well. Always treat people honestly and fairly.
If you’re willing to share your experiences of working in HR to date with other members, we’d like to hear from you – e-mail us to receive a copy of this questionnaire.
Previous ‘Introducing…’ features:
Verity McVarish, HR Manager for Sift Media
Rus Slater
David Kelly, Head of Development and Training for Aventis
Jenny Kevan, UK HR Manager for Abbott Laboratories
William Martin, HR Manager, Telewest Broadband
Craig Truter, HR Manager, The Body Shop
Martin Stockton, HR Transformation Leader, Towers Perrin
Nick Heap, Consultant, New Directions
Crispin Garden-Webster, HR Specialist, Asian Development Bank
Sandra Walsh, HR Delivers
Carole Leslie, Director, IT Learning Ltd
Shaun Dunphy, Project and Process Manager, EMEA HR Service Centre for MCI
Debra Artlett, HR Officer, NGJ
Dianne Miles, HR Manager, Rollalong Ltd
Jacqui Mann, HR Manager, Integra NeuroSciences
Isabella Montgomery, Human Resources Officer at The new Housing Association
Iain Young, Head of HR for Cofathec Heatsave
