Her Story
About Penny
Penny McNerney serves as the CEO and founder of Total Circle HR, a role she has held for nearly four years. With over two decades of experience in human resources, she transitioned from corporate America to entrepreneurship to better support small businesses with their HR needs, effectively acting as their HR department of one. She earned her bachelor's degree in business with a concentration in HR after beginning her career in operations, and subsequently obtained her PHR and SPHR certifications. McNerney attributes her success to overcoming adversity from her childhood and her desire to set an example for her two daughters. She emphasizes values such as integrity and objectivity in her work, advising those entering the field to remain impartial and not take matters personally, as HR can be a rewarding career choice.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Penny
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think I didn't have the best childhood. There was a lot of adversity to it, and I think that I just wanted to be better than that. And I think also showing my 2 children who are females that if you set your goals, you can achieve them.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say anybody entering into HR. You have to be objective. Because there's always three sides to a story. Never take anything personally, because nobody likes HR. You walk into a room and everybody stops talking. So never I'd say you definitely need to be objective. You never just don't take it personally. It's business. And it really is such a rewarding career choice.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Definitely integrity. I think that is so very important, do what you say. I think that if I didn't have the trust of my clients I wouldn't be where I am today, and I think that's all about telling the truth, even when you make a mistake.
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