Melissa Zhang, Sr. HR Generalist, China
Go Inside Kids2 with Melissa Zhang, Sr. HR Generalist - China, as she talks about her experience hiring with our new factory, Winvention, and working with offices in Asia.
Q: How long have you been at Kids2?
A: I joined Kids2 in June 2014. It had been more than 6 years. How time flies!
Q: What roles have you held while working for Kids2?
A: I first joined as an HR Assistant and was promoted to HR Coordinator only half a year after my service. Recently in November 2020, I was promoted to a new role as Sr. HR Specialist.
Q: What is your role now? Who do you support?
A: My current role is Sr. HR Specialist reporting to Scott Law (VP, People – Asia). The expectation of this new role is for me to learn and grow to become a professional regional recruiter of Asia. I’m also responsible for Training, Compensation and Benefits (C&B), and other HR related duties. I’m always providing support for our people, especially our Asia teammates.
Q: How do you partner with each office to support the new hires & team members?
A: In early 2019, I was the recruiter for Winvention team members. Now, we have Mesue Lang to handle the Winvention recruiting and Vincent Liu to handle new hire orientation. I shared information with them to provide guidance whenever they need my help. I’m now the recruiter for both Zhongshan and Shanghai offices. Since we haven’t built an HR team in Shanghai, Annie, Natalie and I keep a very close connection with the team there and work together to support them.
Q: What have you learned from opening the new Winvention factory and expanding our offices in Asia?
A: This is something brand new for Kids2 and one of our Kids2 Way fundamentals is to always embrace change. Since everything is moving and changing really fast, I’ve learned to look ahead and anticipate. I’ve also learned to think and act like an owner during this special period.
Q: Tell me about your most recent Tiny Win?
A: The most recent “Tiny Win” I had was from our Executive Counsel, Matt Smith. He stated, “Melissa has gone above and beyond helping on training this year, with both the contract training in Mandarin, as well as the data & privacy training. She has been amazing, very thorough, and a great partner.” I’ve received many Tiny Win nominations while here at Kids2. These tiny wins mean a lot to me, and I treat every one as a BIG win in my career.
Q: In addition to your time on the Human Resources team, you’ve been a dedicated participant in the Kids2 global Krew. Tell me a little more about your time coordinating the activities and FUN with our global offices. What are your favorite activities at the China office?
A: I’ve been a Krew team member ever since we built our Krew team. I really enjoyed the time and effort when we discussed and coordinated fun and unforgettable activities for our teammates. My favorite activities are Global Give Back Day, the family outing, year-end celebration, Mid-autumn festival, etc. I would say I loved every activity because each of them was tailored-made by Krew team.
Q: What is your Favorite Kids2 Way Fundamental and why?
A: My favorite fundamental is No2. Be a fanatic about response time. I hate the feeling of keeping others waiting for me. I would always be five minutes early to join meetings and reply to emails asap if I have an answer. I believe this is a key element to build trust and a long-term relationship with others.
Q: Do you have a favorite Kids2 branded toy?
A: I like every product of Baby Einstein. Being a mom of two girls, I agree that curious minds start young. I’m a big fan of the slogan “Curious today, extraordinary tomorrow”.
Q: What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work?
A: I spend most of my time after work accompanying my girls. Reading, learning English, playing games, etc. I treasure every minute I can participate in their growth. I love reading and singing when I’m by myself.
Q: What would you tell someone looking to work at Kids2? Why join the team?
A: Kids2 is a company that values its PEOPLE. Kids2 cares about its teammates’ thoughts, growth opportunities, and career paths. We are a big, warm family. I bet you will feel at home working here at Kids2.
