Meet Bergan Paulsen HR Director, Cori Power

Cori Power, Human Resources Director | cpower@berganpauslen.com | LinkedIn

Ever wondered what an HR Director looks for when hiring?  Well, we sat down with our very own Cori Power and asked her just that and MORE!

1.    Why accounting?  What brought you to this career and what do you like most about it?
Luck.  I am not an accountant, so I did not choose this industry.  However, after working in it for five years, I’ve learned a lot about it and the people who do choose to work in it.  What I like most about it is that the number crunching is a very small portion of what we do at Bergan Paulsen.  The largest portion, and why we come to work every day, is to help our clients.

As far as my field, human resources, is concerned, I chose it because I like to know what makes people tick and how I can be part of that process.  I get a thrill from welcoming people into our team and helping them develop into the best team member they can be. 

2.    Why BP?  What differentiates this firm for you?
In so many ways, BP has become more than “where I work.”  We are a fantastic firm and that shows in the way we treat both our clients and our employees.  I’m very proud to tell people that I work at BP and am happy to represent them in outside organizations that I’m involved with.  What differentiates the firm for me, as an employee, is the autonomy of my job and the trust I feel the partners have in me to do my job well. 

3.    What are some of the more important leadership lessons you’ve learned in your career?
I’ve learned a lot and am continuing to learn by my top three would be:

1. Be confident!  To have a seat at the proverbial “table” you have to confidence in your knowledge, ability and decisions! 
2. Always keep your team in the forefront and make decisions that will be best for the whole team. 
3. Think long term – how will your actions today affect your organization later.

4.    What do you look for when you hire?
I look for sharp, charismatic, and talented individuals that know how and want to work hard.  Public accounting isn’t an industry where you can skate by with the bare minimum.  It’s constantly changing, so you have to know your stuff when you start, and constantly improve and develop to keep up.  This takes the kind of ambition that you don’t find in everyone.

5.    How would you summarize your leadership philosophy?
Most decisions, that I’m a part of, end up affecting a lot of people.  I’ve learned to keep those people in the loop along the way.  If we ask for feedback and address any concerns they have, we end up making better decisions.  I like to think I help lead a group to the right decision through open and honest communication. 

6.    What advice would you give someone getting out of school right now?
Find a balance between persistence and patience.  It takes persistence to find a job in order to begin your career, develop your skills and advance.  But it also takes patience in those exact same areas.  Be patient in finding the right job for you.  If you take any job that comes along you might find yourself very unhappy in your career.  Be patient with your development. You can’t learn everything about everything over night.  It takes time to get good at your job – and a good employer will recognize this.  Be patient in your advancement.  In order to move up in your company, you need to develop the necessary skills to do so.  Finding a balance between persistence and patience isn’t easy, but it will be worthwhile in the long run.