 | | Nicole Prokop |
B.S. in Agricultural and Food Business Management, 2007
Advisor
Frances Homans
Current Position
HR Coordinator/Payroll Specialist/Administrative Assistant, Gartner Studios
Q & A with Nicole Prokop
Q: When did you graduate from the U of MN?
I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Agricultural and Food Business Management in December 2007
Q: What is your current position?
I am currently an HR Coordinator/Payroll Specialist/Administrative Assistant.
Q: How did you get your job?
I have been working for Gartner Studios throughout high school and college. Gartner is based out of Stillwater, MN. It is a fast-paced, fast-growing company that designs stationery products for major stores, such as Target, Office Depot, Wal-Mart, Michaels, etc. I started in accounting and was recruited into the payroll position, from there I have been learning about the HR world. I was promoted into my new position.
Q: What do you do in your job?
I process the payroll for approximately 150 employees, while running reports/analyzing reports for the accounting department. I process all the paperwork for employee benefits from health insurance to our 401k plan. I also assist the President of our company, managing his travel and calendar.
Q: Is graduate education recommended in your field?
Yes, graduate education is a requirement for my position and department (Human Resources).
Q: What might be some of the next career steps for someone holding your job?
Becoming a manager of the payroll department or branching into other areas of the business that I'm interested in. I think it's possible to move into many careers from this position, there are many possibilities.
Q: What do you like best about your job?
I get to interact with our employees everyday and our main "customer" in HR is our employees.
Q: What is the biggest misconception about this job?
You don't need an HR degree, although it would have been very helpful. This way I learn hands-on experience.
Q: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were an undergraduate at the U of MN?
How important experience is and trying different areas of business in the form of internships and summer jobs.
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