Deirdre Honner is an associate director of human resources at a college in Grand Rapids, Mich., where she is responsible for staffing, employee relations, and training and development. With more than 20 years of experience in the human resources industry, she is a certified senior professional in human resources and specializes in various HR functions including employment, compensation, classification, immigration and technology. Honner volunteers her time as a business advisory board member for JobAngels, an employment networking program that utilizes social media to help connect people with the right jobs. In addition to her day job, Honner finds the time to maintain a career-focused blog, The HR Maven, where she writes about human resources, career advice and technology.

Why did you decide to pursue this career field?
I transitioned to human resources from the staffing industry, which is what led me to a career in this field.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
My education was essential, I earned my master's degree in business as well as a senior professional in human resources certification. As far as work experience, I worked as a social worker, which helped me learn how to deal with people and problems, and my experience in staffing helped me learn about employment and hiring, which eventually led me to human resources.

How did your education help you in your career?
Many opportunities within the human resources industry require one to have both a degree and certification, so my education has really helped me get my foot in the door.

What was your career path like in this field?
I started my career off in social work, then moved on to staffing, and then proceeded to human resources.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
To work in my position, someone needs problem solving skills, the ability to understand and motivate people, a knowledge of systems and a sense of humor.

What do you do on a typical workday?
On a typical day, I converse with people through email, attend meetings and answer phones, generally most things you would expect to do in an office setting.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
The type of person who would do best in this field is one who enjoys complex issues, problem solving, listening, facilitating and juggling multiple things at once.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
Before deciding on a career in human resources, do some informational interviewing and job shadowing.