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Getting into the field
HR Career Forum
Getting into the field
Discuss your job search, the interviewing process, creating the right resume, how the HR profession's changes require new job-search approaches and related topics.
Hello,
I am currently working as a finncial analyst in a Budgeting deparment of a utility company. I graduated form college 2 years ago. My major was Economics.
Recenlty I realized I am more intere
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Forums » Topic Forums » HR Career Forum » Getting into the field
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 6:40 AM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 5/25/2004 Last: 5/29/2007 |
Key to any good HR professional, is having strong oral and written skills. I realize that Lili1980 wasn't writing formally but her note was rife with spelling mistakes. My first suggestion is to enhance those skills. Perhaps taking more university or college courses would assist.
My second suggestion is in line with what Jackel said, and that is to talk with your own HR Department and express your interest in the HR field. Worse case scenario is they provide you with advice on what training you can do on your own. Best case scenario is they are now aware of your interest in the profession and will keep an eye out for opportunities. Most likely if there are any oppsortunities for you, they will ask you to further your training anyway. Good luck! |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 6:46 AM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 5/29/2007 Last: 5/29/2007 |
1) Find a variety of HR magazines and journals in addition to "Workforce Management" and learn whether they excite you or put you to sleep. Benefit: you'll be up on trends and jargon as well as key players in the field.
2) Informational interviewing will gain you both insight and potential allies. Also, different aspects of HR require very different skills sets. Find the area that matches your values and abilities best through talking to people are are doing what you'd enjoy. 3) Join relevant professional associations, such as SHRM, ASTD, etc. to meet people. Serve on committees. Get known. Dress like other members of the tribe. Discover whether you like working with HR types day in and day out. (I was director of the position referral service for my ASTD chapter and that was great for my network, my contacts with employers and my own career change.) 4) Find ways to donate your skills, such as recruiting volunteers for charity events. You can make good connections and again, get some experience for your resume while reality testing. 5) Take short workshops on HR topics, attend online classes, even get a certificate or degree. It'll help build your credibility and make your transition easier. 6) HR generalist or recruiting positions will burn you out if you truly want in because you like people. A passion for paperwork, systems and the employer's bottom line is indeed more helpful. Good luck! |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 6:54 AM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 5/29/2007 Last: 5/29/2007 |
P.S. While it would seem ideal to just slide over into an HR position with your current employer, that can be blocked if you are already pigeonholed. If so, you may need to go elsewhere to start fresh with an HR identity. Just depends on your organization's culture and whether they'd be open to seeing you in a new role. |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 10:52 AM EDT
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Posts: 1103
First: 3/16/2007 Last: 8/19/2011 |
Hello HRGeek. To answer your question directly I would not recommend anyone intentionally seek an HR Generalist position. Nuf said on that because I do not care to reopen the Sullivan discussion.
As to advancing you career within HR... If you are in an organization that can have an HRIS Analyst then you are in an organization of sufficient size to potentially have other skill broadening or lateral type positions that will afford you the opportunity to advance an HR career. Doing it internally as opposed to changing employers is much simpler and given your limited experience also I think your best opportunity for success. In my expereince compensation is a natural progression from HRIS. In that much of what you will do to start a comp career will involve data analysis you should be able to make this transition easily. The regulatory and experiential components come from your boss and the mentoring/coaching they give you along with any formalized instruction you obtain along the way. I hope that helps. ******************** As the master of typo's on these forums as well as in personal e-mail I never put much creedence into admonishments regarding the appearance of said communicatioons. However, I could not agree more that the quality of written and spoken communication is paraqmount to success within any career area. Just make certain that if typo's are your forte that you only make them in informal communications such as these and not in those with the people who matter most to your career. |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 11:14 AM EDT
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Posts: 3870
First: 2/12/2002 Last: 11/2/2009 |
There are a couple of ways you can bolster your HR resume.
As HRPro suggests, compensation and benefits is a very good avenue for someone with a data/analytical background. You can further your credentials by persuing a Certified Compensation Professional certificate from World at Work (formerly the American Compensation Association). If you want a broader HR credential, then Cornell University (one of the top 3 HR programs in the country along with Michigan State and Univ of Illinois) offers a 6 course certificate program. A tad expensive, but the Cornell name on an HR resume tends to get attention. The courses cover each functional area of HR. And, as suggested previously, the PHR certification would also look good on a resume. Good luck! |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 11:26 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 5/29/2007 Last: 5/29/2007 |
Can I add to the questions about "breaking in"? My B.S. is in HRM, and I have an MBA that I just finished. However, my 12 years of experience are all in accounting. I have applied for, and interviewed for multiple HR positions, but all have ended up the same, with me in the "top choices", but another candidate selected. Each time I question what I could do to improve my chances, I am told I need more professional HR experience on my resume. I have applied both at, and well below, my current salary and experience level. Is there maybe a specific industry type, or company size, where I might have a better chance of being accepted based on a strong professional background, and education, but lacking in true experience? Also, I do have limited experience in Peoplesoft, payroll processing, hiring, training, and presenting, and I include those duties in my resume, but I have had very little luck. I am currently in the metro Phx area, but will be relocating to SD, so I am hoping to find an HR position then. My preference would be compensation, but I am confident in my abilities to perform as a generalist, supervisor, or manager in all areas. I'm just looking for ideas on how to focus my efforts, for a better outcome. |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 3:44 PM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 5/29/2007 Last: 5/29/2007 |
I was a waitress in a five star Hotel when I decided that I wanted to "get into HR"
I was called in for an interview for the position of Restaurant Manager and during the interview our HR Director asked me what my future career plans were and my reply was that I wanted HIS job. He was a wonderful motivating man and began assisting me with my HR studies (you do need to qualify to do the job !) Today I am Head of HR in my new company. My advice to you is that this is an amazing profession and if you want to succeed you will. Good Luck |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/29/2007 9:08 PM EDT
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Posts: 3
First: 5/8/2007 Last: 5/29/2007 |
I have been in the HR field for around 1 year plus. I still have a long way to go before i can realize my dream of becoming a HR Practitional. In my company i am the only HR Person. My HR knowledge are learnt from books, website, attending HR courses & on the job learning through trial & error. |
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Getting into the field
posted at 5/31/2007 3:14 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 5/31/2007 Last: 5/31/2007 |
I too have found it very difficult to break into HR. I have an MBA in HRIS (2006)and seven years work experience in human services. To increase my marketability and diversify my HR experience, I participated in four internships while obtaining my MBA. These internships ranged from working for a large global company on its PeopleSoft conversion to a local non-profit doing recruiting. I am also a current member of SHRM as well as my local SHRM chapter and I am planning on sitting for the PHR exam this year. Post graduation I worked as a temp. in an HR department. I received great experience in employee relations, compliance and recruiting. Recently, I relocated to another state and over the past four months have had NO luck in landing an HR position. Feedback from interviews has me believing that I am over educated and under qualified. One recruiter even went so far as to tell me that I wasted my time and money obtaining my MBA and would have been better off starting off as a secretary in an HR department and working my way up. Any thoughts on my situation? |
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Getting into the field
posted at 6/1/2007 7:13 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 6/1/2007 Last: 6/1/2007 |
Like others that have posted. I too have struggled to break into HR. I am working on completing my Bachelors degree in HRM. I will be done in a year. I am trying to get some experience along with the education. I have been looking for nearly two years, with no success.
I am going to change the tables here. As I see it, managers that hire HR need to change their thinking and move into the 21st century. Here is what I mean, for just about every other position besides HR hire based some on experience, but mostly on who can do the job the best. It seems to me the HR Pro's think that they are better than everyone else. They think that they must hire other HR people with tons of experience. Here is my question, How can one get that needed experience if they are not even a chance? Managers that hire HR and HR themselves need to change their ideals to accommodate those of us that want to do this as a profession, and hire based on that desire and the ability to get things done in an appropriate, timely manner; not just on actual experience. If they keep this mentality there will be a limited number in HR. I guess that is what they want. They are afraid that they may lose their job to competition(Hr is a pretty secure profession). Look at every other job category, and you will see that managers look at experience but hire those that will be a good fit to the team and company ideals. Experience is not the only factor in determining the ideal candidate. It is with HR though, experience is everything and the only thing. A leader will build up another, perhaps even better than himself. Behold, HR managers must open up and give us a chance to prove that we can do it. We will show that we can, even when you say we can't because we do not have any actual HR experience. Be a 21st century leader. |
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