The Moss HR Minute

The 3 Key Operational Lessons Learned In Just 2 Months of Real-World HR with Cayman Hasseberg

Nicole Moss Episode 38

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 7:04

Send us Fan Mail

On her first day as an HR intern, Nicole Moss asked if anyone wanted to observe a live in-person termination. Cayman Hasseberg almost said no — then raised her hand.

In this episode of The Moss HR Minute, Evie Fisher, Marketing Intern at Moss Consulting, sits down with fellow intern Cayman Hasseberg for an honest, grounded conversation about what HR actually looks like in the real world versus what gets taught in the classroom. 

Two months into her internship and heading into her senior year at the University of Oklahoma, Cayman reflects on the moments that shaped her summer — the fast pace, the live client situations, the payroll systems nobody warned her about, and the termination she witnessed on day one that taught her more about grace under pressure than any textbook ever could.

Key topics discussed in this episode:

  • The first thing that surprised Cayman about real-world HR versus the step-by-step classroom version — and why the pace alone is a lesson
  • What it is actually like to navigate multiple payroll systems across different clients, from Paylocity to iSolved to ADP, in real time
  • The skills Cayman has picked up at Moss that she could not have gotten anywhere else — problem solving, critical thinking, and learning on the fly
  • The moment this summer that confirmed she chose the right major
  • The biggest HR myth she wants to correct — and why HR being the bad guy is one of the most damaging misconceptions in the industry
  • What happened on day one of the internship and why witnessing Nicole handle a live termination with grace and compassion became one of the most defining learning moments of her summer
  • How every HR manager at Moss works differently — and what Cayman learned from shadowing Ashley, Yoli, Tim, and Nicole across completely different working styles
  • Why Cayman wants to keep building her career at Moss as she finishes her degree

This episode is for business owners who want to understand what thoughtful, experienced HR looks like in practice — and for anyone early in their HR career who wants a honest look at what the real learning curve actually feels like when the work is real, the clients are real, and day one does not wait for you to be ready.

Book time with Nicole to talk about your HR needs:
https://mossconsulting.com/book-a-free-consultation

Learn more about Moss Consulting HR Services:
https://www.mossconsulting.com

Follow the show:
@TheMossHRMinute

Podcasts we love

Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.

Financial Audit Artwork

Financial Audit

Caleb Hammer
The Mortified Podcast Artwork

The Mortified Podcast

Mortified Media and Radiotopia
Move People Podcast Artwork

Move People Podcast

Andrew Barlow
What If? For Authors Artwork

What If? For Authors

Claire Taylor
Austinpreneur Artwork

Austinpreneur

Capital Factory