What advice would you give someone who is considering this type of job or field?
#human-resources
4 answers
Jennifer’s Answer
I would talk to people in the different aspects of this field because there are different job opportunities in Human Resources to find the area that you are interested in. HR can be very narrowly focused like Compensation or broad like an HR Generalist. You want to see what interests you and matches your skill sets.
I was an HR Generalist in my Company so I did a little bit of everything.
I hired employees - so I was a recruiter - working with the areas that I was hiring for to understand what their needs were, actively looking for candidates and interviewing and screening candidates for the different Job opening that I had.
I coached poor performing employees on how to improve or if they were not following our standards put them on warning. I was responsible for determining if we needed to terminate an employee and to communicate that decision to the employee. There were also times we needed to reduce the workforce so I would need to determine layoffs and to communicate that to the affective worker.
I worked with all levels of management on any employees concerns that they had and to develop their workforce. It is definitely a great feeling to see someone you hired or coached grow and be successful.
I was someone the employees would reach out to if they had a concern or an issue they needed help in. I had investigations that I was responsible to conduct if there was a harassment complaint. I worked in an Union environment so I needed to understand the Union Contract to communicate and negotiate with the Union.
I found I needed to be someone who is approachable and good listener in this job to really understand the needs of the Employees and Management that you are working with. A HR Generalist can be a stressful job too - you get to know the good and bad about the people you are responsible for and are making decisions that are impacting people's lives.
Jennifer recommends the following next steps:
Jennifer L.’s Answer
In addition to the other responses, really think about where your passions lie. Do you want a more narrow concentration and specialize in one of the many facets of HR, such as Benefits, Compensation, Employee Relations...; or, do you want to be involved from a broader perspective, as a generalist?
I started, years ago, processing payroll and benefits for associates, and worked my way up to becoming a generalist, and now a Director of HR, with a focus on strategic operations. What is most important is finding what you love to do and doing it well. Also, when considering the field of HR, you will need to find an outlet (mine is exercise), to help with the tough days, and there are many of those!
Talk to those you know in the field, and gain different perspectives. Until then, do your research by visiting SHRM.org, as well as SIOP.org (which aims to advance the field of I-O psychology in the workplace).
Jennifer L. recommends the following next steps:
Leigh Pittman, PHR, SHRM-CP
Leigh’s Answer
I agree with the previous comment - there are so many facets of human resources. Beginning in the HR generalist field is a great way to get exposure to many HR areas and then hone in on a specialty you have a passion for (or you may discover you love the Generalist role!). SHRM (Society of HR Management) is an organization (shrm.org) that provides information for HR professionals and offers local chapters for networking and continued education. Go check out their site to learn more about HR. There are also 2 certifications widely known in the general HR field - SHRM-CP and PHR (offered by the HR Certification Institute (HRCI)). Additionally, there are more specialized certifications such as the Certified Compensation Professional (CCP). These certifications are valued in Human Resource jobs and should be something you look into as you pursue this type of career.
Leigh recommends the following next steps:
Tanya’s Answer
I also agree with all of comments above. I would recommend looking for an internship opportunity while you are in college. This will help you gain an understanding of the field and also learn more about the many opportunities in Human Resources. As an HR professional myself, I believe there are two sides to HR - Operational and Strategic. However, I also believe each role requires strategic thinking!
I would also recommend looking at the type of industry you'd like to work in. For example, Health Care, Public Accounting, Consulting, Education, Real Estate, etc. Not only the industry but the size of the company. Smaller companies tend to have fewer HR employees who tend to wear many hats. In the Public Accounting Firm I work for, we have over 2,000 employees and our HR department is fairly large in size. As we grow, our team must grow as well.
I truly believe if you are looking to become an HR professional, you should want to work with people. Not just your colleagues and peers but all employees throughout the organization. Employee's are our biggest assets and they matter!
I hope this helps!