The HR industry changed a lot during the past years. At first, people were quite reticent regarding whether to work or not to work in this field, but today, being an HR professional is one of the most wanted jobs out there. If you are passionate about working with people and you have the necessary skills to do that, then you might want to pursue a career in this field. The vast majority of people believes that HR professionals only hold an administrative function in various-sized businesses, when – in reality – it involves much more than that. This article is meant to offer a full explanation of working in HR, from the definition it holds and the requirements you have to respect to the skills that will propel you to the top. Here’s what you need to know:
Human Resources – pursuing a career
In order to pursue a career in the Human Resource industry, you will have to decide what sort of responsibilities you would be able to respect. There are several roles in HR departments that are all different. Each position requires a set of skills for dealing with the multiple functions that are attributed to it. Your journey in pursuing an HR career starts with finding the job position that seems to mirror your expectations. You can consult a short description of each position:
- Assistant – the HR assistant represents the initial position that you will occupy after finishing your studies in the domain or after obtaining a certificate; in most cases, the assistant handles personnel-related tasks and is the first point of contact
- Officer – when advancing to an officer position, the responsibilities will expand; the officer is responsible for recruiting people, training new employees, dealing with payroll, tracking procedures and many more other tasks that are related to staff support
- Coordinator – coordinators are responsible for filling in new vacancies, analyzing any data that is related to recruiting, applications or interview, managing the recruitment process altogether; this is a step further towards becoming an HR manager
- Manager – HR managers are the ones who come up with strategies for the respective business; this strategy involves creating policies,
- Director – HR directors are the ones that have to control the whole departmental expenditure, that have to set up budgets and maintain the HR department working well; directors have the biggest responsibilities
What does it take?
Working in the HR field is definitely not easy. An HR team should consist of people who are proficient at what they are doing. Starting with the assistant to the HR director, each step of the career will teach you how to handle specific situations. Not all people can become HR professionals. There is a set of skills that you should possess in order to succeed in this industry. The skills are based on knowledge from different fields. For instance, even though it doesn’t seem like it, an HR professional should know how to work with numbers. Because you will create turnover reports and determine salaries, making mistakes when it comes to math is not allowed. Some may believe that working in the HR industry is all about talking with people, but the intricacies go much deeper. HR professionals should have legal knowledge. Employment laws differ from one part of the world to another, and knowing these regulations is a must for being able to engage in recruitment processes.
The benefits of working in HR
Being an HR professional will grant you a lot of opportunities and will also keep you entertained instead of stressed. The specifics of the tasks you are going to handle always change, so you won’t need to stumble upon the same issues each time you go to work. The various activities you’ll engage in will keep you away from boredom. Dull days are not characteristic for HR jobs. You may try to plan your next day at work, but the plan will never be respected, as unexpected situations always appear during the work hours. The variety of tasks that you’ll have to complete will allow you to perceive HR jobs differently. You will meet people that should help you understand new typologies, cultures or personalities. After becoming an HR professional, you’ll get the chance to improve yourself constantly. The more you advance in the field, the bigger the opportunities.
Another benefit of working in the HR industry is that you’ll be able to help other people. If you are a fan of offering your help and this is something that makes you feel better about yourself, then an HR profession is what you seek. The HR team works as a whole to reach the company’s objectives. There is no negative competitiveness in an HR team – everyone is trying to help and to understand everyone. The ambiance of an HR department in any company is a pleasurable one because people with the same mentality are gathered together. HR people enjoy the presence of other HR people, simply because they are guided by the same things in life. You’ll notice how easily you can make friends with a colleague at work that has to deal with the same tasks as you do.
How can I become an HR professional?
Now, talking about the required education and training, becoming an HR professional is not as difficult as you may think. You’ll only need a four-year degree and a certification to be able to work in this field. There are plenty of HR training, both physical and online that could help you start your career in the HR industry. Yet, if you have a bachelor’s degree in human resources, you have better chances to get hired in a well-paid position faster. In most industries, the studies you have made the difference in the position you will occupy next. You can either start as a junior professional in HR or a senior one, depending on both your studies and your experience in the field. Entry-level positions can be boosted if you’ll obtain additional certificates. Learn more about CIPD and CIM certificates and get one to improve your salary from the very beginning of your career.
