Sherri Shannon can open doors that no one else can: For anyone hoping to work for the College of Charleston, she alone holds the keys.

During her 16 years as the College’s Office of Human Resources employment manager, Shannon has given the final OK – and the good news – to thousands of staff members. Which means she knows a thing or two about most of us. But what do we know about her?

We decided it was about time we all get to know the College’s gatekeeper to employment. Here’s what we learned.

Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

I wanted to be an accountant or at least major in math, but things changed after I encountered Calculus 3 in college. Although I passed the class, I immediately changed my major.

Q: What is the job you would love to have at the College?

I would love to be the head volleyball coach. Although I am definitely unqualified for the position, I played in college and still love the game.

Q: What do you think would surprise most people on campus about your job?

I don’t think that most people are aware that the summer months and November and December are my busiest work months. During the summer, faculty and staff post jobs so that they are fully staffed when school begins. In November and December, staff and faculty are eager to post jobs and make job offers before the December holiday break. I am usually frantically working up until the final hour we leave for the break.

Q: What are the most common questions you hear from applicants?

“What is the status of my application?” “When will you make interview selections?” And, “Although the posting is no longer on the website, can I still apply?”

Q: Have you ever watched a TV show or a movie and noticed HR violations in the plot?

Although I try to turn off the HR side of my brain when watching TV or movies, I’ve seen a lot of violations. To name a few from one of the hospital shows I watch: sexual misconduct issues in hospital hallways between staff/doctors and patients and confidentiality issues where physicians mingle in unprofessional ways and end up sharing information among colleagues. No one ever seems to receive any type of discipline for the violations.