Shenae Johnson, ’24 MHRIR: Breaking into Fortune 500 HR Leadership
Monday, December 23, 2024
Program
’24 Master of Human Resources & Industrial Relations
Hometown
Brooklyn Park, MN
Undergraduate School and Major
Bethel University, Psychology
Current Employer & Job Title
Bristol Myers Squibb, Human Resources Leadership Development Program
Fun Fact
I love to travel and have been to 20 countries!
Meet the Carlson School community and learn about the experiences and career connections we offer.
What was your initial reason or motivation for pursuing a Master of Human Resources & Industrial Relations?
Like many HR professionals, I kind of ”fell into it.” Throughout my undergraduate degree, my career interests shifted from therapist to industrial-organizational psychologist to human resources professional. I was attracted to how many different paths you can go down in HR, and I wanted to gain experience in the early years of my career. Therefore, after seeing the job placement rate and prevalence of rotational programs, I knew the Master of Human Resources & Industrial Relations (MHRIR) program at the Carlson School of Management was a competitive option and a good fit.
Why did you choose the Carlson School?
After I graduated from Bethel, I worked at U.S. Bank in their HR service center and had a mentor who was an alumna of the MHRIR program. It was clear how much she had learned during her time at the Carlson School and how it truly skyrocketed her career. At the time, I was deciding between the MHRIR program and industrial-organizational psychology master’s programs on the West Coast. Seeing the impact of the MHRIR program firsthand helped me choose the option in my own backyard.
My decision was made even easier when I attended Admitted Students Day. I felt incredibly welcomed, cared for, and excited for the future. The many opportunities highlighted on this day (e.g., Graduate Society for Human Resources Leaders, Graduate Volunteer Consultants, and the alumni mentoring program) showed me that this program would not only leave me with a degree but a new community and HR family.
What has been or was your most valuable Carlson School experience?
My most valuable Carlson School experience has been expanding my network and meeting people from various business fields. Initially, I thought my network would be solely within HR, but I was quickly proven wrong. I worked with MBA, Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA), and law students in a Graduate Volunteer Consultants group. I was a teaching assistant for MBA classes, and developed valuable relationships with career coaches and professors. This has been important to me because, during my summer internship, I was advised to always consider the business. This diverse network has been crucial in doing so.
Of course, within my concentrated field, I have also deepened my understanding of human resources and had numerous networking opportunities. I attended Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conferences, supported the HR Tomorrow conference at the Carlson School, and participated in the MHRIR alumni mentoring program. I am grateful for my time at the Carlson School of Management, filled with learning and connecting.
How has your Carlson School experience helped you change your career path and get to where you are?
The Carlson School experience gave me access to opportunities I likely wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’ve developed meaningful relationships with Fortune 500 leaders and learned about the many amazing companies in the Minneapolis area.
Having grown up in Minnesota, I wanted to step out of my comfort zone in a new place. Luckily, the Carlson Business Career Center has strong relationships with companies all over the country, including New Jersey-based Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). I interviewed with BMS during the on-campus recruiting season, interned with them over the summer, and am excited to join their Human Resources Leadership Development Program in the spring. I anticipate that I will continuously learn and be challenged during this program (which are core values of mine), and this master’s degree helped me level up to take part in this type of rewarding work.
The Carlson School experience gave me access to opportunities I likely wouldn’t have had otherwise. Through Carlson, I’ve developed meaningful relationships with Fortune 500 leaders and learned about the many amazing companies in the Minneapolis area.
What advice would you give to help potential applicants gain admission into Carlson’s Master of Human Resources & Industrial Relations program?
I recommend that potential applicants first and foremost reach out to Carlson alumni to ask about their experiences in the program. Students can tailor the program to their interests (e.g., law, consulting, or analytics), and these informational interviews gave me the confidence to create goals and a plan for my time during the program. It also helped solidify that this was the program for me as well as develop meaningful questions for those reviewing my application.
Something else I would recommend is diving into content within the business world. I listened to Harvard Business Review podcasts, became an avid reader of the Wall Street Journal, and began familiarizing myself with HR-applicable laws before starting the program. While this is certainly not a requirement, it was helpful to set a foundation for my business school experience.