The HR Mentor

If you're a new HR graduate or actively job searching for your first HR role, this episode is packed with exactly what you need to confidently navigate your search. In this episode, Melanie breaks down the most common entry-level HR positions, typical responsibilities, the key skills employers are looking for, and how understanding these roles can help you define your HR niche and build a more focused, successful job search strateg...

In this episode, I’m getting real about one of the biggest frustrations in the HR job search. If you’ve been sending out applications and hearing crickets, I know how tempting it is to blame your resume. But here’s the surprising truth: it’s probably not your resume holding you back.

Today, I share why clarity about your career goals, skills, and values is far more powerful than endlessly tweaking bullet points. I’ll walk you throu...

In today’s episode, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Greg Morley, a seasoned global HR executive, DEI strategist, author, and speaker, who brings over two decades of experience from companies like Disney, LVMH Moët Hennesy, and Hasbro. Greg’s journey is one of bold decisions, adventurous career pivots, and a deep commitment to inclusive leadership. From starting in a call center at GE to leading HR and DEI in Paris,...

Job searching as a new HR graduate can feel overwhelming—especially when rejections start piling up. But what if your mindset was the key to transforming your job search experience? In this episode, we’re diving into how shifting to a growth mindset can help you overcome obstacles, stay motivated, and ultimately land your first HR role.

I’ll walk you through five actionable strategies to develop a growth mindset, including how to r...

As a new graduate stepping into the world of HR, you’re entering a field that’s evolving faster than ever before. In this episode, Melanie breaks down the most important trends shaping the industry and what you need to know to stay ahead. From AI-powered recruitment tools to remote work policies, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies, and the growing emphasis on employee well-being, we cover it all. Plus, I’ll share prac...

🎙️ Episode Summary:

I’m beyond thrilled to bring you this inspiring and insightful conversation with Melanie Denny! Melanie is a personal branding consultant, LinkedIn strategist, and founder of the Empowered Presence™ framework, helping brilliant women of color gain visibility and seize new opportunities beyond the 9-5. She’s been featured in Forbes, HuffPost, Yahoo News, Fast Company, NBC News, and more—and her expertise in self...

Welcome back to The HR Mentor! I’m so excited to be here with you again after a little time away. If you’ve been a listener for a while, you probably noticed it’s been about six months since my last episode. During that time, I stepped back to focus on some other priorities in my work and personal life, and today, I want to share what I’ve learned from that break and how you can start fresh and reignite your career goals as we step...

Do you struggle to make connections on LinkedIn? Does it ever feel awkward to reach out to people to introduce yourself or to invite them to a virtual coffee conversation? If that's you, this episode will change that for you.

My guest on the show today is Andrew Stoute. Andrew is a leadership and career development consultant and the host of Let’s Be Diverse, an HR podcast covering many topics to help inspire your leadership journe...

According to June labour statistics, the Canadian unemployment is up to 6.4%. In this episode, Melanie shares guidance on a job search strategy to overcome a downturn in the labour market. Because a downturn in the market doesn’t mean you can’t find a great HR job. But, it does mean you must be strategic about your job search. In Melanie’s mind, that means you need to focus on quality over quantity. 

Listen in as Melanie explains w...

In this episode, my co-host, Michelle Amaral, and I had the opportunity to spend some time with Alfred Achoba from CMHA—Kamloops Branch. Alfred is the Executive Director and has been with the organization for over a decade. During our conversation, Alfred shared his personal career story and talked about why he pursued a career in community social services, particularly mental health and wellbeing.

Alfred also shares a lot of infor...

Today is a very special episode. I am joined by one of my former students and one of the first graduates from the HR Career Accelerator program, Trupti Patel. In this episode, Trupti talks about her career journey and how she went from being a job seeker to a job offer in less than five months post-graduation. If you are a job seeker struggling to find your way, this episode will guide you on the right actions to take and motivate ...

Have you been invited to a summer social event or activity? Did you delete the invitation or respond with a no-thank-you? If you did, I encourage you to listen to this episode. In it, I explain the benefits of saying YES to that summer social and how to mix fun with career acceleration.

Helpful Links for this Episode:

• Join The HR Career Cafe on LinkedIn
• Join the HR Caree...

In this episode, my new part-time co-host, Michelle Amaral and I talk about something that I believe is critical to your HR job search. Networking is the key to success for so many new grads and professionals. But we also understand that it is not a comfortable experience for all job seekers. So in this episode, Michelle shares strategies for anyone who feels they are more introverted and fearful of networking so that you too, can ...

In this episode, I sit down for a conversation with Brent Pollington, the owner of a successful and award-winning recruitment firm in Vancouver, BC, called Express Employment Professionals. With a company track record of placing over 15,000 people with more than a thousand companies, Brent brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to The HR Mentor that will enlighten new grads and seasoned HR professionals alike.

During our conve...

I am so thrilled to kick off Season 5 with a very special guest. Sheryl Brown and I connected on LinkedIn years ago and have been sharing HR stories, parenting and work memes and inspiring empowering messages ever since. I finally convinced her to join me on The HR Mentor to talk about her career journey and it was truly worth the wait. 

Sheryl's extensive experience in human resources is a testament to her adaptability and experti...

Welcome to the Season 4 Finale! 

I decided about two months ago, after several exchanges with soon-to-be graduate students, that I needed to make this episode. If you have been following me since the beginning, you know I created this podcast to scale what I was trying to offer to new HR grads on a one-to-one basis. Of course, that quickly became unstainable, so with the idea of recording my guidance and advice and sharing it for f...

This episode has been a long time in the making, and I am so pleased with the result. Michelle was one of my earliest fans who later became my student once the pandemic began to subside. Since our first meeting, I knew she had to be a guest on the show!

I have watched Michelle transition from a student to an HR Generalist over two short years, and her accomplishments during that time have been incredible. She excelled in her studie...

If you are about to graduate from an HR program or you are a recent HR grad who is struggling with finding that first HR role, this episode is going to save you a ton of money and time. That’s right, money and time - something I am sure you value immensely right now. How am I going to do that? Well, I am going to be the friend you didn’t know you needed and I’m going to stop you from signing up for that certification program you ar...

In this episode, I am talking about something that I don’t see talked about enough: the uncertainty and anxiety that naturally comes with graduating from University or College. While it is a natural and normal experience, the fear and trepidation that comes with graduation can have negative impacts on students and it can impede their ability to move forward. This episode covers four actions or tips soon-to-graduate students can use...