Bachelor of Social Sciences graduate Simone Rust is in the people business, and loving it.

She's a Talent Advisor in the Human Resources Department at Two Degrees Mobile in Auckland, where she supports the business on people related matters.

"A typical day for me varies depending on what's happening, but could include supporting leaders in investigative or disciplinary meetings, advising on effective management of employee relations and performance issues, or facilitating workshops – among many other things."

Simone has always been interested in human behaviour, so the decision to come to the University of Waikato was an easy one. "Waikato simply had the degree I wanted to take. No other university offered an HR degree with the option to do it through Social Sciences," she says.

And she made sure her studies were productive. She achieved 'A' grades in all of her papers, and was named on the Dean's List of Academic Excellence twice.

Simone says she also gained valuable experiences outside the classroom. "I met a great group of new friends, gained a broad range of skills and had a huge range of opportunities waiting for me when I graduated."

"The best advice I could give anyone considering Waikato would be to give everything you do 100%. Challenge yourself to think outside the square and get fully engaged in the learning process."