Some people go to work each day knowing to expect just a typical day at the office. For my team and I, there are no typical days: each morning brings fresh challenges and opportunities. I wake up with a warm cup of coffee, roll up my sleeves and prepare to spend my day solving others’ problems.
I work on the front lines of human resources at a sprawling academic health system, where world-class doctors and dedicated nurses are delivering remarkable healthcare every single day. Our patients do not see the work my team does behind the scenes to keep our organization moving forward, but they do see the expert providers hired by our recruitment team. Those same people who work medical miracles are able to do so because they know they have the organizational support to get the resources and tools they need, to develop and grow professionally, and to take paid time off to relax or care for their families.
Me doing my job allows brave nurses and skilled doctors to save lives.
I stumbled into my business degree almost on accident, as a last resort after swapping from journalism, to political science, to teaching and other subjects in between. Ironically, my first job as an undergraduate was working in the Academic Advising office, where I helped other students find out what their major would be. There was one transfer student I remember vividly, as he said words that were burned in the back of my mind for years.
When he asked about my major, and I answered with “business," he scoffed at me. “The only reason to study business is to make a lot of money,” he told me. “I just couldn’t let it suck my soul away. I needed to do something to actually help people and make the world a better place.”
I was speechless. Sure, money sounded nice. But I had a soul, and I certainly didn’t want it sucked away. And I definitely wanted to keep helping people, like I was presently aiding the student in question. But as I dove deeper into my major, graduated with my degree and began my career, I realized he was dead wrong about my field and the people in it.
Ultimately, a business exists because of people: the human beings that work there, and those that seek its products or services. Everything we do is dedicated to those people, from offering a better deal than the leading competitor, to developing a benefits package that attracts and retains highly qualified workers, to marketing and branding the company image.
Human Resources isn’t just the study of business, it’s the business of human beings. HR professionals, and others who study related fields, care deeply about others, or they would not be successful at their jobs. One look at the leaders of renowned, successful charities and the innovative minds of the private sector who are paving the way for brighter, greener futures is enough to tell that business majors do make the world a better place.
What this student helped me learn is that there are infinite ways to help people and find meaning in one’s life. This realization set me free. Finally, I decided on a major I was passionate about and could envision myself flourishing in.
