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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
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So, I am 24 years old. I am currently active duty Navy. Assigned as a Religious Program Manager and personal security officer for a US Navy Chaplain. I am about to finish up the first half of my cours
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Forums » Topic Forums » HR Career Forum » Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/23/2008 1:22 PM EDT
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Posts: 5
First: 8/23/2008 Last: 8/26/2008 |
So, I am 24 years old. I am currently active duty Navy. Assigned as a Religious Program Manager and personal security officer for a US Navy Chaplain. I am about to finish up the first half of my courses with University of Maryland. I currently have a associates degree in Computer Graphics Design and Drafting. I am working towards my Bachelors degree in Human Resources Management with a minor in Marketing (unless i decide to change my minor). When I finish my active duty contract I will have had 5 years as a Program Manager/Office Manager in the military, I will also have both my Associates degree as well as a Bachelors of Human Resource Management. I will be 26 at that point. My current salary in the military is approx. 29000 a year.
Now, if you are still reading this. My question is what are the chances of me being able to land at least a mid level job upon finishing out with the military. I do plan to get my PHR certification. I have been told by a friend of mine that I am going to be hard pressed at finding a job with my chosen degree. I figure with my prior degree, my bachelors degree, my military service, and my PHR cert. I should be highly employable, but I may be incorrect. I would love to hear your opinions on this. As well as any advice you may have for me. If you do not wish to respond on here please respond to my email at bpreachers@gmail.com |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/24/2008 8:06 AM EDT
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Posts: 3870
First: 2/12/2002 Last: 11/2/2009 |
The PHR will help. The Bachelors degree will help. The associates degree may help (depending on what industry you go into). The Navy experience is great (I'm prior service myself) but it probably won't help that much.
This is a glass half full/empty situation. The good news is that you probably do have an edge over the competition for entry level professional HR positions - and if you go for a civil service HR position you will have the 5 point veteran's preference. The bad news is that there's a lot of competition for those positions from people with degrees and PHR's and maybe even real world HR experience. There's also a degree of subjectivity in selecting HR people since there's still a sense of "anyone can do it" in some organizations. A lot of HR positions at this level go to internal candidates. My first recommendation to people considering HR as a focus of their major is to change to finance or accounting. But if you must go into HR, plan on entry level professional positions ("midlevel" is, IMO, pretty much out of the question without experience) and a pretty long job hunting slog. Good luck, and thank you for your service in the Navy! |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/24/2008 2:33 PM EDT
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Posts: 2442
First: 2/12/2000 Last: 9/14/2011 |
You need to think the HR Career over very carefully. Obvoiusly you are a bright person. The classic question is why do you want to work in HR? My concern is given your work with Religous Program Manager that your motivation is "to help people". If that is accurate-Find another career. That is not what HR is all about. There is absolutely no social work in HR today no matter what you may have heard. It is mainly business planning, designing programs and solving people problems for Management Mid level job? Not without relevant experience. If you are willing to start at the bottom then there is a way to start. |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/24/2008 2:51 PM EDT
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Posts: 5
First: 8/23/2008 Last: 8/26/2008 |
Upon talking to a navy career counselor the human resources field is one of the closest fields in the civilian world to what i do. I coordinate the Single Marine Program, initiate all pre and post deployment training for spouses and families of marines, I work directly with the battalion equal opportunity officer on implementing appropriate training on sexual harassment and non discrimination within my battalion, as well as coordinate and control all religious programs of my battalion. I currently oversea these programs for a battalion of approximately 1200 marines. I entered this field of training because of his opinion. I have decided to change my minor to business law. And am pursuing a certificate in Health Care administration. |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/24/2008 5:50 PM EDT
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Posts: 2442
First: 2/12/2000 Last: 9/14/2011 |
This response may be a little harsh so I apologize in advance if it feels that way.
I am not confident that a Navy career counselor really knows about the current state of the HR profession. I coordinate the Single Marine Program- Likely not relevant Initiate all pre and post deployment training for spouses and families of marines-Not that relevant to HR career. EEO training is very relevant if you wish to be an "EEO Officer" or a trainer. Is that your current career goal? If yes this would allow you have a job target. The only problem with these jobs are that there are many fewer of these positions than there are HR Generalists. The religious programs work is generally not relevant to the HR profession. |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/25/2008 6:16 AM EDT
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Posts: 56
First: 3/21/2005 Last: 4/28/2009 |
I agree with with Howard7's advice of a possible training position or HR clerical. Broaden that experience as you go. You will find that by working within all functions of HR you will develop a more diverse understanding of what we actually do.
Don't plan to start mid-level. It won't happen. There's too much competition out there with experienced professionals. I have seen a lot of degreed applicants that just don't have the experience to be able to hit the ground running. Good luck with your career choices, and Thank You so much for your military service. |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/25/2008 7:38 AM EDT
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Posts: 159
First: 1/31/2008 Last: 9/17/2008 |
Let me throw my two cents in here. having some years ago successfully transitioned from a military HR position to a civilian one I have a few ideas.
1. Network, network, network. Join your local HR Chapter and volunteer. get to know other HR professionals. 2. Document well what you do in the Navy in non-military terms. Be it BUPERS, DCSPER, NRC, what ever, it doesn't mean much to civilian employers. learning to speak in a business non-military language is important. 3. Network, network, network (get the idea) 4. Take non-military HR training courses. For the basics organizations like SHRM, World at Work and so forth offer good training courses. take these even if it is out of your pocket. these will help you not only in your profession but also in explaining what you do in more familiar business terms. 5. Learn P&L. Learn Finance, learn accounting. 6. get lucky. Seriously, landing the right job is as much about luck as other things. Knowing people, describing what you do and have done, being successful is good. Being lucky is simply a part of the equation. 7. Don't set your sights too high. rarely will someone walk out of the military and right into a management level HR position. While I know and you know that you have probably held tremendous responsibility most civilian employers are challenged to truly believe it. It is inconceivable to them in many instances to understand how a 25 year old with a BA could have been responsible for thousands of people, millions or billions of dollars and to do it essentially on their own. Again we know it is done, they can't truly comprehend it. Advancement will come, but you have to get in the door first. 8. Get certified. A lot of people have a lot of different opinions on this one. regardless it is better to have it than not. many employers use it as a legitimate discriminator - so get certified. Best of luck. |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/25/2008 2:28 PM EDT
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Posts: 5
First: 8/23/2008 Last: 8/26/2008 |
Thanks for the insight. Im looking into what things i may be able to do through civil service jobs. there are a number of jobs i will qualify for and in fact be at the top of the running for in the hr field via civil service due to being prior military (once i get out) and my degree and military training. I gave me a bit of a brighter outlook just by looking around and talking to them. Thanks again for the responses. |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/25/2008 2:50 PM EDT
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Posts: 5
First: 8/23/2008 Last: 8/26/2008 |
i do have a question
my minor is business law (changed it from marketing) im toying with the idea of getting a undergraduate certificate along with my bachelors. Either a certificate of negotiation and conflict http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/certificates/neg_conflict_mgmt.shtml (link to certificate definition is what follows the name of the cert), or a certificate in financial management http://www.umuc.edu/programs/undergrad/certificates/fin_mgmt.shtml. Would love some insight on that as to if it would be a good idea and which one of the certs would be a better choice. |
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Question on my ability to find a good HR Job
posted at 8/26/2008 5:01 AM EDT
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Posts: 2442
First: 2/12/2000 Last: 9/14/2011 |
Exactly what does a "certificate" signify? How many extra hours of course work does it take to attain this? What is the difference between a minor in X verses a certificate in X? |
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