Why did you choose to pursue work in human resources?
Majoring in sociology helped me realize that I want to do work in a community. The sense of community is something I’ve really valued during my time at Hamilton. [Working in] human resources felt like a natural extension. TCG’s focus on developing their corporate community as well as serving the broader DC area made me very excited. This year, their mission is to support local green spaces.
What is your official title, and what will your daily responsibilities look like?
My official title is employee experience associate, and I’m technically a shared resource between their traditional Human Resources Department and the company’s Happiness Team. Onboarding employees and helping to make the employee experience feel as welcoming and seamless as possible are my overarching goals. To do so, I’ll be involved with everything from maintaining employee documents to celebrating their birthdays!
What Hamilton experiences helped to prepare you?
Sociology in general is all about how we interact with others, so a lot of my coursework has felt relevant, but especially a seminar I took on organizations and culture helped provide some theoretical foundations for this work. My Emerson research project on employee engagement was also a key experience for me in realizing how much I loved doing this kind of work and talking to employees. Finally, working in Hamilton’s HR office as an intern for the last year was great hands-on experience.
What are your long-term career plans, and how will this experience prepare you?
I hope to become certified as a professional by the Society of Human Resources Management in the next few years. Part of the process of becoming certified is working in the field.
Kaela Dunne ’22
Major: Sociology
Hometown: Southborough, Mass.
High school: St. Mark’s School
Activities: Tumbling After a cappella, the Topical, Admissions
What aspects of your new position are you looking forward to the most?
I’m especially excited to be a part of the Happiness Team because employee satisfaction and engagement have been long-term research interests of mine. I can’t wait to put into practice some of what I’ve learned and learn more as I go.
What advice would you give to students interested in pursuing human resources work?
Talk to as many people as you can who work in HR! The field is extremely diverse and has many subdivisions. Talking with alumni can help give you a sense of what the branches do and what you might be interested in.
