How I Went From HR Intern to HR Records Manager

As my junior year at NC State drew to a close, I sat in a library and resumed a task every college student is familiar with: searching for an internship. As I sifted through various listings, I came across an opportunity that would change the trajectory of my professional life. 

University Human Resources had launched a new internship program for the 2023-24 academic year. I applied for a position and was fortunate to get a spot as the HR records and WolfTime intern. 

I was extremely nervous before I began the internship. I had no human resources experience, let alone any experience working in an office environment. I knew I would have a steep learning curve, but I was determined to absorb as much knowledge about this field as possible. Thankfully, I met some HR staff members who turned into mentors. Jan Brock, Lori Taylor and Chelsea Tominack were instrumental in my introduction to human resources and continue to be excellent teachers. 

While I had some interest in the human resources field before this internship, my interest only continued to grow as I went through the program. Not only was I interested in the work that I was doing; I also found various areas in HR intriguing, such as benefits and classification and compensation. With my newfound appreciation for the human resources field, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the field after graduating and hoped a position would become available at NC State. While I didn’t see any openings that I was qualified for in the fall semester of my senior year, the perfect opportunity was right around the corner.

Halfway through the internship, one of my supervisors left for another employment opportunity. While I was sad to see her go, I knew this meant there would be an open position that I had experience with: HR records manager. At first, I was too intimidated to apply for the job. I thought I wouldn’t have enough years of experience or UHR would want someone older and more familiar with the office environment. However, after some encouragement, I decided to take the leap and throw my hat in the ring, and thank goodness that I did. 

During the spring semester of my senior year, I interviewed to be the next HR records manager and was selected for the job. I was so relieved to solidify my post-graduation plans and excited to continue working with the Human Resources Information Management and Analytics team.

Over the past year that I have spent as the HR records manager, I have grown professionally and personally. I am more confident and well-informed and have strengthened various soft skills, such as problem-solving and emotional intelligence. When I look back at my uncertain college self, I wish I could have told her that she would end up where she is supposed to be. 

I wholeheartedly encourage any NC State student with an interest in human resources, communication or business administration to look into the UHR internship program. I want to thank Alexa DeFalco, who manages the program, for establishing the program and providing an excellent opportunity for many NC State students.