The HR Mentor

In this milestone 100th episode of the HR Mentor Podcast, Melanie reflects on her journey creating the podcast, the key lessons learned, and audience feedback that has made the experience rewarding. She shares the origins of the podcast, aimed at helping early-career HR professionals navigate the job market through actionable advice.

Melanie reminisces on her favourite guest episodes and student success stories, emphasizing the power of connections and mentorship in the HR field. Looking ahead, Melanie reveals plans to deepen discussions on thriving in HR roles and shares her continued commitment to guiding HR newcomers. She wraps up with a heartfelt thank you to listeners, guests, and supporters, while hinting at what's to come in future seasons.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a fellow HR grad or early career professional! Your support helps others find the show, and I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or LinkedIn.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! You can find The HR Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean.

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 strategy.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a fellow HR grad or early career professional! Your support helps others find the show, and I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or LinkedIn.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! You can find The HR Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean.

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 through the common pitfalls, help you reframe your job search strategy, and give you actionable steps to gain momentum and land that HR role you’ve been dreaming of. If you’re feeling stuck, this episode is a must-listen!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a fellow HR grad or early career professional! Your support helps others find the show, and I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or LinkedIn.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! You can find The HR Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean.

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, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, Greg shares the wisdom and lessons he’s gathered along the way. Trust me—this conversation will leave you feeling inspired, informed, and ready to lead with authenticity.

We talked about the real-world impact of inclusive leadership, the essential role of credibility and learning in HR, and the importance of micro-inclusion moments. Greg also opened up about what led him to write his book Bond: Belonging and the Keys to Inclusion and Connection, and shared actionable advice for early-career HR professionals navigating today’s uncertain job market. If you’re looking for real talk and practical insights on building connection and credibility as an HR leader, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a fellow HR grad or early career professional! Your support helps others find the show, and I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or LinkedIn.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! You can find The HR Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean.

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 reframe rejection, take proactive steps to improve your skills, and leverage networking as a learning opportunity. Plus, we’ll explore how AI tools can support your job search and help you continuously improve along the way. If you’re feeling stuck or frustrated in your job hunt, this episode is for you!

[2:15] – What is a growth mindset, and why is it critical for job seekers?

🎧 Related Episodes:

💡 Other Helpful Links:

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a fellow HR grad or early career professional! Your support helps others find the show, and I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a rating and review on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or LinkedIn.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode! You can find The HR Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean.

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 practical ways to keep up with industry changes and make yourself a standout candidate in the job market.

If you've ever wondered how to stay on top of HR trends—or how to answer that question in an interview—you won’t want to miss this episode. Grab a notebook and your favorite drink, and let’s dive in!

🔗 McLean & Co. HR Trends Report for 2025

Other Helpful Links:

Let’s Stay Connected:

Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean!

Thanks for tuning in—until next time, stay curious! 

🎙️ 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-marketing and career empowerment is unmatched.

In this episode, Melanie and I dive deep into the power of personal branding. We discuss how to build a brand that gets noticed, what new grads can do to jumpstart their visibility, and how AI tools can make branding easier than ever. Melanie also shares actionable advice and her signature strategies to help you stand out and unlock your next big opportunity. Don’t miss this game-changing conversation!

⏱ Episode Highlights:

📌 Links & Resources:

Other helpful links:

❤️ Let’s Stay Connected:

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean!

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 into 2025.

Thanks for your patience and for being here - I appreciate you!

The three-step process to recalibrate your Career Goals:

Helpful Links for this Episode:

If you feel generous and want to send my love my way, I would be very grateful for a review and rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:

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 journey. Andrew  has also been a huge supporter of The HR Mentor podcast for the last couple of years. Andrew connected with me through LinkedIn and  invited me on his show as a guest to talk about organizational development. And since we first connected, I have watched him increase his number of connections exponentially. He has now produced 100 episodes of Let's Be Diverse, each featuring a unique guest. During our conversation, I ask Andrew to share how he approaches making connections online and he shares his advice for new graduates who might be a little shier when it comes to networking.

Helpful Links for this Episode:

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-stoute-20940960/

If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:

• Apple Podcast

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 what a quality job search is and shares five reasons why infusing more quality in your job search is the best approach. And be sure to scroll down to check out the helpful links if you are truly serious about landing that fantastic HR job.

Five reasons you should engage in a quality versus quantity job search:

1. Higher Success Rate

Helpful Links for this Episode:

• Read the Labour Force Survey, June 2024

If you are feeling generous and want to send some love my way, I would be so very grateful for a review and a rating on Apple Podcasts or a recommendation on LinkedIn. And if you haven't yet, don't forget to subscribe to The HR Mentor so you never miss an episode on the following platforms:

• Apple Podcast